Price Scores Game Winner, as Eagles Defeat Rival App State
STATESBORO, Ga. – On a brisk night in Boone, North Carolina the Eagles took to the pitch to face off against rival Appalachian State. The Blue and White entered play with a 4-6-1 record and a 2-3 record in conference play. With their matchup against Troy being moved to October 29th due to the predicted landfall of Hurricane Nate, the Eagles needed to come out with three points tonight to carry momentum back home to Eagle Field.
The Eagles jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after Asha Vilaythong takes a deflection and puts it past the keeper from eight yards out. The score would hold at 1-0 heading into the half giving the Eagles momentum. In the 70th minute the Mountaineers were award a penalty kick after a foul was called battling for a header in the box.
Morgan Mosak took the penalty kick and evened the score in the 71st minute. The Eagles were not fazed as they continued to battle. Sarah Price had four shots on the evening, including hitting the post and then missing an open net just wide minutes before the Mountaineers leveled the score.
Price shook off the missed goal taking a pass from midfield and turning on her defender. Price beat her defender to force a one on one with the goalkeeper. She took a touch and finished it into the back of the net for what would later be counted as the game winner for the Eagles.
MATCH FACTS
Appalachian State (2-9-3) (1-4-1) – 1
Georgia Southern (5-6-1) (3-3-0) – 2
SCORING
18' – GS – Asha Vilaytong (1) (Unassisted)
71' – ASU – Morgan Mosak (1) (Penalty Kick)
75' – GS – Sarah Price (2) (Unassisted)
NOTES
- Lauren Karinshak added another 4 saves on the evening, bringing her season total to 48 on the season.
- Asha Vilaythong scored her first goal of the season giving the Eagles an early lead.
- Appalachian State's Sharon Osterbind picked up a yellow card in the 70th minute, after a hard foul on Aila Sendra.
- Both teams posted 12 shots on the evening and 5 on goal.
- The Eagles improved their Sun Belt Conference record to 3-3-0 on the season bringing their total for points to 9 headed back to Statesboro.
WHAT HEAD COACH BRIAN DUNLEAVY SAID
"Really proud of our whole team tonight, we executed our game plan very well and we were able to control the tempo of the game. We got behind their back four and created chances. Defensively we had a strong effort, we were tough in 1v1 defending. I felt we allowed them back into the game in the 2nd half, our pressure dropped and they were getting some dangerous balls into our box. Conceding the penalty was tough, it was the right call though. Coming right back and retaking the lead and seeing the game off was excellent. It says a lot about our team to come up here and get 3 points. In my opinion this is the toughest place to play in the Sun Belt. Sarah Strickland is a great motivator. App is a tough team to play because you always get their best effort. I'm happy for our players, they've been working so hard and deserved this win."
NEXT UP
The Eagles will return home for Senior Day, as they take on South Carolina State in a midweek battle. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. at Eagle Field.
Troy Grinds Out 1-0 Win Over Little Rock
TROY, Alabama – Despite being down a player for the final 30 minutes of the game, the Troy defense held firm to earn a 1-0 win over Little Rock at the Troy Soccer Complex on Friday.
Julia Winter scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season to lead the Trojans to their third win in Sun Belt Conference play.
Troy (5-8-2, 3-3 Sun Belt) earned a corner in the 49th minute where Kiersten Edlund placed a near-perfect service to the back post. Winter found herself in perfect position to flick it home for the eventual game-winner. Edlund now has three assists on the season.
Nicole Strahl was handed her second yellow card with 30:36 remaining in the contest, forcing the Trojans finish out the game with 10 players. Even as Little Rock began throwing players forward, Troy allowed just one shot on goal.
Winter nearly gave Troy the lead in the first half but her shot in the 16th minute hit the crossbar and Claire Taylor's follow-up sailed high. Qarli Stone also just missed on a scoring opportunity when her shot late in the game missed the post by inches.
Haleigh Mercer started in goal for Troy and played the first 45 minutes before giving way to Katrine Jacobsen, who recorded two saves in the second half and earned the win. The Trojans have now pitched six shutouts on the season.
QUOTABLE
"It's the performance the girls have been searching for for a number of weeks," Troy head coach Ged O'Connor said. "Not just the win or the clean sheet, but the manner of the victory, especially playing with 10 men towards the end of the game."
UP NEXT
With Sunday's match against Georgia Southern being postponed to Oct. 29, Troy will not play again until Oct. 13 when it hosts Georgia State.
NOTEWORTHY
• Two of Edlund's three assists have come from corners. The lone assist to come in the run of play also led to a game-winner against Appalachian State.
• Taylor, Edlund, Maddie Brune, Mecca Cobbin and Lauren Aldrich all played the full 90 minutes.
• Troy is 7-1-1 in the last nine meeting against Little Rock.