VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State soccer team is enjoying a long home stand during the month of October after beginning the season with a slew of road matches in September. Next up are games two and three of the seven game stretch of those home matches, as the No. 4 Columbus State Lady Cougars come to town on Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., followed by the Badgers of Spring Hill on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m..
The Blazers are expected to face their toughest challenge of the season on Friday when they square off against the Lady Cougars, who currently stand as the fourth-ranked team in all of Division II women's soccer. The Blazers will place their 4-4-1 record on the line against a CSU squad that has yet to suffer defeat. The only match of the season that didn't end with Columbus State on top, resulted in a 0-0 tie against the Gulf South Conference's own Lee Lady Flames, who narrowly defeated Valdosta State 1-0 back on September 28 in Valdosta.
Columbus State features no shortage of firepower on the attack with 36 collective goals on the season. The team includes four different players that have scored four or more goals on the year, and the defensive performance of the club has been equally impressive with just seven goals allowed. Chelsea Person, a redshirt junior from Decatur, Ga., has served as the primary striker for the Lady Cougars and has four assists and six goals to show for it.
The Badgers of Spring Hill are working their way through their first season as a member of the women's soccer contingent in the GSC, and it's been an uphill climb. Sunday's opponent enters the weekend with a 3-6 overall record, and a 1-5 stint in conference play. Their lone GSC victory came on September 28 in a double overtime win over Union, who the Blazers have yet to face in 2014.
Spring Hill's top performer this year has been Courtney Harlan, a junior out of Mobile, Ala.. The forward leads the team in nearly every statistical category including shots taken (25), shots on goal (9), points (10), assists (2), and goals (4). She currently ranks in a tie as the league's 10th best scorer.
The Blazers have faced challenges when trying to finish shot opportunities, but may have a prime opportunity to buck that trend on Sunday. On defense, the Badgers have slipped this season with 24 goals allowed. West Georgia represents the only team in the Gulf South Conference that has given up more goals.
Expect Head Coach
Rebecca Nolin to turn to a veteran core of Blazer forwards this weekend for an offensive boost, along with a continuance of stellar defensive play that has placed the Blazers as one of the top four teams in the GSC in terms of goals allowed.
Zahimara Fantauzzi,
Abbi Edwards,
Margaret Stauffer, and
Maegen Doyle have accounted for six of Valdosta State's eight goals and three of VSU's five assists thus far in 2014. Look for that crew to ignite the Blazers this weekend as the squad aims to retain their position as the GSC's second ranked team, beginning with Friday afternoon's big match against a nationally ranked opponent.
Don't miss a minute of this weekend's exciting action at the VSU Soccer Complex, and if you can't make it, don't forget to follow every home match live on the internet via video and stat links as well as postgame results and updates. It's all available right here at www.vstateblazers.com!
