VALDOSTA, Ga. –The Valdosta State soccer team suffered a slow start in 2015, but if Tuesday night's win over Clayton State is any indication, the Blazers are primed and ready to turn a corner heading into their first road game and first Gulf South Conference matchup of the season against Christian Brothers in Tennessee.
 
The first match of the weekend for Valdosta State is scheduled to take place on Friday night and will pit the 1-3 Blazers against a CBU squad that stands 3-1. Neither team has seen conference action yet this season, and both will be looking to prove their mettle early on in the GSC portion of their respective schedules, especially considering the competitive nature of the league.
 
Friday night kicks off an exciting weekend for the GSC that will feature seven different league matchups, four of which are scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Mississippi College represents the only team with wins in each of their matches so far this season, although No. 14 North Alabama holds a 3-0-1 record after ending in a stalemate with McKendree in their season opener.
 
Valdosta State enters Friday night's contest riding high after a strong finish to their early homestand, which ended with a breakout effort by freshman Madison Cutts that led the Blazers to their first win of the season. As a result, the Blazers held on to a 2-1 win over Clayton State.
 
Although VSU's offensive production might not have flourished as much as Head Coach Rebecca Nolin may have hoped in the first three games of the season, expect the Blazers to use a spark found on Tuesday night to ignite a more efficient attack. Along with Cutts, Jordan Humbert has given the Blazers a boost in the early going, providing opportunities for VSU's offensive, even when she is away from the ball. In addition, Logan Lindy has given VSU a boost with a team-high five shots, a goal, and an assist.
 
While the Blazers look to carry momentum into their first conference matchup, the Christian Brothers Lady Bucs will be anxious to right the ship after dropping their first match of the season in an 0-1 loss to Montevallo on Sunday.  Interestingly, Head Coach Kieron Heblich, who is now in his 10^th season at CBU, saw his team also defeat Clayton State back on September 5^th with the same 2-1 result as VSU's most recent win.
 
Christian Brothers carries three players at this point in the season with at least two goals or more. The most productive of the bunch has been Camilla Rodriguez, a senior midfielder that is currently averaging 3.5 shots per game. In addition to her three goals, the Brazilian has dished out three assist and leads the team with 14 shots taken this season.
 
The conference showdown is slated for a 6:00 p.m. EST start, and can be followed live at www.vstateblazers.com. Also be sure to check in following the match for results and a rundown of Friday night's action in Memphis, Tenn.