Soccer Downs Ragin’ Cajuns To Extend Shutout And Winning Streaks

The Bobcats hit the road next weekend for the last time during the regular season beginning with a 4 p.m. contest at ULM on Friday, Oct. 13.

San Marcos, Texas – Another match, another shutout and another victory for the Texas State soccer team on Sunday afternoon at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. The team defeated Louisiana 3-0 to extended its shutout and winning streak to four straight and are now one shutout shy of matching the program record set in 2001.

With the win, the Bobcats improve to 7-4-1 overall, 5-1-0 in the Sun Belt Conference and are tied atop the league’s standings with South Alabama as both squads have 15 points. The Ragin’ Cajuns drop to 5-7-2 on the year and 2-3-2 in conference play.

Texas State was the first team to take a shot in the match in the fourth minute. Within a 20 second span, both Kassi Hormuth and Genesis Turman placed their attempts on goal but both were stopped by a diving Victoria Mendes.

Midway through the 18 minute, Kira Zapalac took a crack at goal from 18 yards out. Mendes made a dramatic diving save to keep TXST off the scoreboard.

Another great opportunity for the Bobcats came from Kaylee Davis. In the 22nd minute she ripped a shot that was just off the mark as it hit the outside left netting.

Hormuth had the first breakthrough in the 26th minute. The senior received a cross from Brooke Ramsey near the top of the 18-yard box and sent the ball forward for Davis to run onto. The goalkeeper was able to beat her to the ball but couldn’t corral it. A defender followed with a weak clearance that went straight to Hormuth, who sent a low shot past the diving keeper, off the right post and in for her fourth goal of the season.

Exactly 32 minutes into the match, Renny Moore got behind the right back and juked out the charging to have an open look at goal. Slightly off balance, she was unable to get enough on her shot as a UL defender was able to get back and stop her shot from crossing the line.

Heather Martin made her first save of the day late in the 42nd minute when Kimber Grasso unleashed a shot towards the upper portion of the goal. Martin just got her finger tips on the ball to deflect the ball off the crossbar.

Moore extended the Bobcats’ lead to 2-0 during the 48th minute. Rachel Grout chipped in a low through ball at the top of the penalty box. Moore ran on to it and got her toe on the ball to chip it over the goalkeeper for her third goal of the season and first in Sun Belt play. The score of her third of the season, most on the team by a freshman.

UL almost ended Texas State’s shutout streak three seconds into the 65th minute. After another long throw in from Ashleigh Cade, Lexi Turner headed the ball to the right side of the net. Luckily for the Bobcats, the ball hit directly off the right post and was cleared away from danger.

During the 71st minute, Davis found herself with the ball again facing just two defenders. The Allen, Texas native dribbled and outmaneuvered both Ragin’ Cajuns to get a one-on-one with the keeper. Davis unleashed a rocket of a shot a couple steps inside the 18-yard box, however Mendes parlayed the ball away from the front of the net.

Grout almost scored just over halfway into the 80th minute when her long attempt hit off the crossbar.

UL was unable to clear the ball out of their defensive half. It found its way to Hormuth, who then sent a through ball down the left side to a streaking Jordan Kondikoff. The sophomore sent in a cross to the far side of the net where Grout chested the ball into the net in similar fashion to Clint Dempsey in the 2014 FIFA World Cup against Portugal in the group stage.

The assist for Hormuth was her 36th career point, tying her for 10 place in program history with Tori Hale (2012-14).

Grout’s score was her team leading fifth of the season while Kondikoff recorded her fourth assist this year.

The final 10 minutes of the contest saw only two total shot attempts with both coming from the Ragin’ Cajuns. Neither were close to challenging Martin in goal with one going wide left and the other soaring feet over the crossbar.

Leading 22-11 in shots was TXST led by Grout’s career-high tying five attempts. Moore doubled her previous career bests with four shots. Attempting three shots apiece were Davis and Hormuth while Ramsey and Turman attempted two shots each.

In between the posts, Martin recorded her fourth consecutive shutout behind three saves. It was her seventh career shutout, placing her sixth on the program’s career list. The Midlothian, Texas native’s performance saw her lower her GAA to 0.75 and see her save percentage increase to .842.

The Bobcats hit the road next weekend for the last time during the regular season beginning with a 4 p.m. contest at ULM on Friday, Oct. 13.

For more 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.

Box Score: http://txstatebobcats.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wsoc&id=5062