Soccer hosts Texas State at 1 p.m. Sunday
10/31/2010 7:12:00 AM | Soccer
The Sam Houston women's soccer team may not be playing for a Southland Conference title Sunday at 1 p.m. when they play host to Texas State at Pritchett Field in the final regular season match of the year.
But by winning the battle of the Bearkats and the Bobcats, the squad could wrap up the highest Southland finish in the eight-year history of the SHSU women's soccer program.
Both last season and in 2005, Sam Houston place fourth in the league, earning their first and third trips to Southland post-season play those seasons, respectively.
Friday, UTSA's 1-0 victory over the Kats at Pritchett coupled with a 2-1 victory by Southeastern Louisiana eliminated SHSU from title contention in 2010. The Roadrunners and the Lions are tied for the top of the table both with 6-1-1 league marks and 19 standings points (three for each victory and one for a tie).
Stephen F. Austin (5-2-1, 16 points), Sam Houston (5-3, 15 points) and Texas State (4-3-1, 13 points) stand three, four and five in the Southland table coming into Sunday. SFA defeated the Bobcats 1-0 in Nacogdoches Friday night.
That means a Sam Houston victory over Texas State combined with a UTSA victory at SFA earns the Bearkats a third place finish and the No. 3 seed at the Southland post-season event which begins Thursday in San Marcos.
Lamar (3-4-2, 11 points), Northwestern State (3-4-1, 10 points) and Central Arkansas (2-4-2, eight points) each still have a shot at the sixth and final berth in the tournament. Lamar has completed conference action while Northwestern State travels to Southeastern Louisiana Sunday while UCA takes on last place Nicholls.
The top two seeds will receive byes in the Southland first round. The No. 4 and 5 seeds start the tournament Thursday with a 4:30 p.m. clash. The No. 3 and 6 seeds meet at 7 p.m.
Friday, the No. 1 seed will play the No. 4-5 winner at 4:30 p.m. and the No. 2 seed will take on the No. 3-6 winner. The Southland championship match will be played Sunday afternoon.
Texas State, last year's Southland regular season champion, defeated the Bearkats twice last year, winning 4-0 in San Marcos in the regular season and 2-1 in the semifinals at the Southland tournament in Natchitoches, La.
Texas State brings the Southland's top goal-scorer to town in Britney Curry who has tallied 12 times.
Sam Houston freshman Tricia Mallory ranks third in the league in scoring with 10 goals, the most tallies ever by a first year Bearkat player.
Admission to Sam Houston soccer at Pritchett Field is free. For information about tickets to other Bearkat athletic home events, go online at www.gobearkats.com or visit the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located in the 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 is 936 294-1729.
