Kats hit road for final non-conference matches
9/10/2015 11:31:00 AM | Soccer
Sam Houston State soccer looks to work out any final kinks as the squad hits the road for its final non-conference matches of the year, visiting SMU on Friday and Prairie View A&M on Sunday, with both scheduled for 7 p.m.
“We spent some time this week looking at some of the mistakes we made against Baylor,” eighth-year head coach Tom Brown said. “I hope that we as a team feel good where we are. We can see improvement and see players that are playing well together.”
By weekend's end, the Bearkats (2-2-1) will have spent six of their first seven matches on the road. Sam Houston opened its home slate last Friday with a 1-1 draw against Baylor with the lone goal coming from senior Mariah Titus, the squad's leader with two netters.
Defensively, the Kats have held several high-octane offenses in check, helped by senior goalkeeper Kylie Hambleton, who has allowed just 1.15 goals per game in four matches. While the squad boasts 10 seniors, the underclassmen have also made their impact on the early season.
“We've looked at quite a few players and I think some of the incoming freshmen that you don't know how they'll fit in have done very well,” Brown said. “Whitney (Woodward) has done a good job playing in the back right away and dealing with some very good attackers with the teams we've played.
“Micaela (Birt) has come off the bench and done a good job holding the ball up for us. Meredith (Carlson) and Bailey (Strong) have shown very well in the midfield. They have two very strong players in front of them with Shelby (McDaniel) and Mariah (Titus) but they've been able to get in and get good experience.”
Meanwhile, Friday's opponent, SMU (1-3-2) has faced its own early-season daunting schedule, notching ties against Missouri and Rice while posting its first win on Aug. 30 against Texas Southern. The Mustangs are picked eighth among 10 teams in the American Athletic Conference.
“SMU has always been a very talented team,” Brown said. “I think they're very well coach in the tactics they use. They'll be a much different test for us than Baylor was. SMU will build the ball through their midfield and up front so it presents a different challenge for us having to make sure we maintain our team tactics. We want to force them to adapt to the way we play the game.”
Meanwhile, Prairie View A&M (1-2-0) picked up its first win on Aug. 30, downing Southland Conference foe Incarnate Word, 3-2. The Panthers fell 5-0 to Kats' league-foe McNeese in their opener and dropped a 2-0 match on Sunday at Texas State.
Sam Houston returns home next weekend for three straight matches at Pritchett Field in conference play, beginning with Central Arkansas on Friday at 6:30 p.m. For the latest on Sam Houston soccer, follow @SHSUSoccer on Twitter and visit GoBearkats.com.
