Texas State Soccer Falls on Senior Day to South Alabama

The Bobcats will take on either Coastal Carolina or Georgia Southern in the first round of the SBC Tournament.

San Marcos, Texas – The Texas State soccer team battled with the three-time defending regular season Sun Belt Conference champions South Alabama in front of a season-high 800 fans at the Bobcat Soccer Complex on Senior Day but fell 2-0. The Bobcats will enter the SBC Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

The loss snapped a seven-match winning streak for TXST, tied for the second longest in program history, as the team finished the regular season 10-5-1 overall and 8-2-0 in the Sun Belt. Despite the loss, the Bobcats can still earn a share of the Sun Belt regular season title with a Little Rock victory over the Jaguars (10-5-1, 8-1-0 SBC) on Friday in a match that was postponed earlier this month because of Hurricane Nate.

The Bobcats controlled possession at the beginning of the contest. They took the first three shots of the match but weren’t able to place any of the attempts on goal.

In the 20th minute, a foul on TXST awarded USA a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. USA’s Rio Hardy sent he ball over the wall but Heather Martin was in perfect possession for the save. Seven minutes later Hardy split the defense but her shot was right at Martin for another stop.

The Jaguars netted their first goal of the contest in the 28th minute when Selma Bjorgvinsdottir sent in a short cross from the left side to Hardy. Her shot glanced off Martin’s hands and into the back of the net.

Martin continued to come up big between the posts with three saves within the first five minutes of the second half. The Midlothian, Texas native came up with a big save to keep it a one-goal deficit early in the 60th minute when she made a diving stop to keep a Hardy header from crossing the line at the back post off a corner kick.

Almost halfway through the 71st minute, USA extended its lead to 2-0 when Hardy brought down a long ball and proceeded to split the defenders with her speed. Her breakaway shot when just past the hands of Martin and into the right corner.

On the ensuing kickoff, Rachel Grout sent a long ball down the left sideline that Kaylee Davis was able to run onto. She sent in a cross to the back post and found Hormuth, who’s shot hit off the right post and ricocheted across the front of the net before being cleared away by a Jaguar defender just 11 seconds after the last score.

Near the end of the 73rd minute, Davis ripped a shot that had the goalkeeper beat but went wide of the left post.

The last great opportunity for the Bobcats to score came off a corner kick in the 79th minute. Renny Moore sent in the ball from the left corner and found Alyssa Phelan about 13 yards away from goal. Her one-touch shot sailed high and wide of the left post.

Following the match, seniors Chandler Cooney, Rachel Grout, Elizabeth Havenhill, Kassi Hormuth, Alyssa Phelan, Brooke Ramsey and Kira Zapalac were honored for their contribution to the program over the last four years.

USA outshot TXST 21-9 and placed 12 shots on goal to zero for the Bobcats. Kondikoff led TXST with three shots and Hormuth had two attempts.

In goal, Martin set a new career-high with 10 saves. Her total is tied for the seventh most ever by a TXST goalkeeper in a match. It is also the most since Natalie Gardini had 10 stops at Lamar on Oct. 15, 2010.

The Bobcats will take on either Coastal Carolina or Georgia Southern in the first round of the SBC Tournament. The official tournament bracket will be released next Sunday following the conclusion of the Georgia Southern at Troy match.

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=5066