Bobcats Return Home With Regular Season Title On The Line
Putting away the Trojans in the second half was Kaylee Davis as the junior netted two goals in a minute and a half span. Both times saw Genesis Turman set Davis up for the scores.
SAN MARCOS, Texas – For the second straight year, the Texas State soccer team closes out the regular season with the Sunbelt Conference regular season championship on the line at the Bobcat Soccer Complex.
First up is Georgia State on Friday, October 19, at 7 p.m. and Sunday’s, October 21, contest begins at 1 p.m. against Coastal Carolina with Senior Day festivities taking place after the match honoring Kelly Barbalias’ and Jamie Brown’s contribution to the program.
The Bobcats enter the weekend with a 9-5-1 record on the season and sit in first place in the Sunbelt standings with a 7-0-1 mark for 22 points. The Panthers are 6-9-1 overall and 4-4-0 in league play while the Chanticleers sport a 7-6-1 mark and are second in the conference with a 6-2-0 record for 18 points.
Regular Season Title Scenarios
Texas State heads into the weekend needing to win one of the two matches to clinch a share of the regular season title. To claim the outright title, the Bobcats will need to earn a minimum of four points. They can also bring home the outright championship with a victory in either match or record two draws and Little Rock fails to win all three of its remaining matches.
Last Time Out
TXST extended its unbeaten streak to eight matches and have won four straight after defeating Troy 3-0 on the road. Kayla Geren netted the match-winner midway through the 15th minute.
Putting away the Trojans in the second half was Kaylee Davis as the junior netted two goals in a minute and a half span. Both times saw Genesis Turman set Davis up for the scores.
For the season, Davis has found the back of the net 14 times. Her total is the third highest in the nation and is also tied for the third most in a season by a Bobcat. The Allen, Texas native is also in the top 10 in program history in a season for points (29), match-winning goals (5), shots (64) and shots per match (4.27).
Jordan Kondikoff, Genesis Turman and Geren have all scored two goals. Pacing the team with four assists apiece are Mackenzie Smith, Kondikoff and Turman.
In goal, Heather Martin continues to dominate after her third consecutive shutout against Troy. It extended her shutout streak to 282:27. She comes into the weekend with a .914 save percentage and .050 GAA that rank sixth and 15th in the country, respectively. Martin has stopped 64 shots on her way to recording six solo shutouts.
Scouting Georgia State
Georgia State has won four consecutive matches with the last two see the team post shutouts. Three of the victories came at home while the lone road win was on Oct. 12 at Appalachian State by a 2-0 score.
When playing on the road, the Panthers are 2-4-0 with conference losses to Arkansas State (2-0) and Little Rock (1-0). GSU will close out the regular season on Sunday at Louisiana.
Brooke Shank leads the team with five goals, 37 shots and 19 shots on goal. Two of her goals have come from the penalty spot. Caitlin Ray has a team leading five assists while also adding three goals. Adding two goals and three assists has been Monique Hundley.
Mardi Card is the reigning Sunbelt Defensive Player of the Week. She has started the last four matches in goal. For the season, the Butler transfer has a 1.11 GAA, 30 saves and a .789 save percentage.
Lydia Fraga has made nine appearances between the posts. She sports a 1.39 GAA with 39 saves and a .750 save percentage.
Series vs. Panthers
Texas State leads the all-time series 5-2-0 over Georgia State. The Bobcats have won the past two meetings both by 3-1 scores with one contest each taking place at home and on the road. Last season’s victory in Atlanta saw Kaylee Davis record her first career brace. Her first goal of the match turned out to be the match-winner and came 26 seconds before halftime.
GSU’s last victory in the series was on Nov. 4, 2015 at home when the Panthers hosted the Sunbelt Tournament. They scored twice in the first half in the 2-1 contest.
When playing at the Bobcat Soccer Complex, TXST is 3-0-0 all-time against GSU. The Bobcats have outscored the Panthers 8-2 in those matches.
Scouting Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina is coming off a weekend in which it defeated Georgia Southern 2-0 before falling to Georgia State 4-0 on the road. The Chanticleers are 4-4-1 when playing on the road with Sunbelt wins South Alabama, Troy and the Eagles. The lone conference road loss was at Appalachian State. CCU will close the regular season on Oct. 25 at home against Arkansas State in a match that was postponed earlier this season because of Hurricane Florence.
Hannah Miller and Baylee Price lead the Chanticleers with three goals and seven points apiece. Miller had attempted a team-high 40 shots and placed 25 on goal. Price has taken 27 shots with 12 being on frame.
Netting two goals each has been Lauren Dabner and Sunny Sigurvinsdottir. Also finding the back of the net once this season has been Mackenzie Cherry, Mackenzie Gibbs, Heston Neal and Elisabeth Rockhill.
Rylee Atteberry started the first 10 matches of the season in goal before being replaced at halftime at Appalachian State. She has a 1.21 GAA, 44 saves and a .786 save percentage. Eva Knapstein has made four straight starts in goal and compiled a 0.89 GAA, 20 saves and a .833 save percentage.
Series vs. Chanticleers
Coastal Carolina has had Texas State’s number since joining the Sunbelt having won all three meetings. Last season saw the Bobcats fall to the Chanticleers twice. In the regular season, CCU won 1-0 at home with the lone goal coming exactly 10 minutes into the contest. In the Sunbelt Tournament, TXST took an early 1-0 lead when Kassi Hormuth knocked in a loose ball in the box. The Chanticleers would tie the match in the 71st minute and go on to score the match-winner in the 105th minute off rebound during a breakaway opportunity.
The only previous meeting to take place in San Marcos was on Oct. 2, 2016. The lone goal of the contest came after a controversial penalty kick was awarded in the 13th minute.
Live stats and video will be provided for each match. Sunday’s contest will also be broadcast on the radio on KTSW 89.9 FM with links available on the schedule page.
For the latest information on the Texas State soccer team, visit the official website of Texas State Athletics at www.txstatebobcats.com, like on Facebook at Texas State Soccer and follow on Instagram and Twitter at @TxStateSoccer.
Goals2Cure: https://pledgeit.org/goals2cure2018
GSU Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=225115
GSU Video: https://txstatebobcats.com/watch/?Live=1622&type=Live
CCU Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=225116
CCU Video: https://txstatebobcats.com/watch/?Live=1623&type=Live
KTSW 89.9FM (Sunday): http://ktsw.net/apps/stream/#now
Match Notes: http://txstatebobcats.com/sports/2017/8/16/soccer-game-notes.aspx?path=wsoc
