Final road trip for soccer this weekend
10/23/2014 3:01:00 PM | Soccer
The Bearkats will play their final two road games of the Southland regular season this weekend with tournament seeding on the line. Sam Houston State, who is second in the league with a 5-2 record, will play at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (3-3-1) Friday at 7:00 p.m. before going to Southeastern Louisiana (5-3) for a match Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
With four games left to play the Kats are on the verge of a historic season. SHSU needs just one more win to equal the highest league win total in school history. The Kats also need just one more goal to surpass the school record for total goals in conference play.
In 11 previous seasons of women's soccer, Sam Houston has never finished higher than fourth in the league standings. The Kats have a chance to do that this season. SHSU and Southeastern La. are tied for second with 15 points in the standings while HBU and ACU are tied with 14 points each. There are only six points separating the Kats and their four remaining opponents, A&M-Corpus, Southeastern La., HBU and Nicholls State.
The matchup with A&M-Corpus Christi will be just the second ever, as the Islanders started their soccer program last season. Sam Houston beat the Islanders 2-0 at Pritchett Field a year ago. Tricia Mallory and Mariah Titus scored the two goals.
Southeastern Louisiana and Sam Houston have played some instant classics in recent years with four of the last five games going to overtime. The Bearkats haven't beaten the Lions since 2008. Two seasons ago SHSU did get a point in Hammond, La.
Allie Johnson leads the team with seven goals this season but had her streak of scoring in five consecutive games snapped in the 1-0 win over Central Arkansas. The sophomore forward needs one more goal to match Mariah Titus' total as a sophomore last season.
Shelby McDaniel and Ashley Alonzo are tied for second on the team with five goals. Madison Bible, Jordan Jarzombeck and Caitlyn Schwartz each have one goal this season. The goals scored by Bible, Jarzombeck and Schwartz were all decisive goals though.
Goalkeeper Kylie Hambleton had a rough start to the season but things seem to be looking up after posting back-to-back shutouts. The Bearkat back line has also played with more consistency in recent weeks, helping Hambleton in goal.
The Bearkats have the benefit of closing the season at home this year. Sam Houston will host Houston Baptist Friday, October 31, at 6:30 p.m. and will close the season against Nicholls Sunday, November 2, at 1:00 p.m.
