Soccer hosts UCA Friday on Senior Night
10/29/2009 8:00:00 AM | Soccer
The Bearkats play host to Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. Friday night and Northwestern State at 1 p.m. Sunday at Pritchett Field. With victories in both matches, the Kats could finish as high as second place in the standings.
Losses in both contests would knock them out of tournament contention.
"We could finish anywhere from second to seventh," Sam Houston head coach Tom Brown said. "If we take care of business on the field, we're in."
Sam Houston State has qualified for the post-season soccer tournament only twice in its previous six seasons. In last year's regular season finale, the Bearkats lost out on a tournament berth in a home loss to Lamar in the final match.
Texas State has already locked up the regular season title with a 7-0-1 Southland mark. Southeastern Louisiana enters the weekend in second at 5-1-1 followed by Stephen F. Austin 4-2-1, UTSA 4-2-2, Sam Houston 4-3 and Northwestern State and McNeese State tied for sixth at 3-4.
Only the top six teams in the final standings earn berths in the Southland tournament that will begin Thursday, Nov. 5 at Natchitoches, LA.
Three Sam Houston seniors -- Debbie Campbell, Allison Oakland and Ashley Simmons -- will be making their final home appearances at Pritchett this weekend will be honored in pre-match ceremonies on Friday night.
Campbell, a defender from Pflugerville, was an Academic All-Southland Conference academic honorable mention selection in 2008. She has played in 31 matches in her Bearkat career, starting 15 times.
Oakland, a forward from Austin McNeil, has played in 50 matches in her four years as a Bearkat. She is a two-time Academic All-Southland Conference honorable mention selection. She has scored seven goals during her college career.
Simmons, a defender from Pflugerville, has appeared in 49 matches in her four seasons at Sam Houston. She is a two-time Southland Conference Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll member.
In Sam Houston's first two trips to the Southland tournament, the Bearkats reached the finals in 2005 after victories over Louisiana-Monroe and Stephen F. Austin. Sam Houston lost to host Northwestern State 1-0 in overtime in the championship match. In 2007, the Bearkats fell 1-0 to UTSA in the first round.
At the 2009 Southland event, the number one and two seeds will receive first round byes. The number three and six seeds will battle on one side of the bracket and the four and five seeds will duel on the other.
Admission is free to Sam Houston State soccer matches at Pritchett Field.
For information about tickets to all Sam Houston State sports events, go online on www.gobearkats.com or contact the Sam Houston Athletic Ticket Office located in Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
