VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's soccer team returns home to begin a three match homestand Sunday at 1 p.m. at the VSU Soccer Complex versus rival West Georgia.  The Blazers are 4-4 on the year and 2-2 in Gulf South Conference play entering the match.
 
West Georgia also is 2-2 in GSC play and 4-4-1 overall after a 3-0 loss at West Alabama on Sunday.  Neither team will have played since last Sunday as VSU posted a 2-1 win at Alabama Huntsville behind a pair of sophomore Lauren Hicks' goals for the win.  
 
Fans can access links to live stats and streaming of Sunday's match versus West Georgia on vstateblazers.com on the women's soccer schedule page.  Check back with the site for a complete recap of the match.  
 
VSU went 1-1 last week as it dropped a 1-0 decision at West Alabama, surrendering a late goal, followed up by the 2-1 win at UAH.  Hicks tallied her second-career multi-goal game with the two scores as she scored both in the second half.  Hicks had the first goal of the match and then, after UAH tied the score, Hicks hit pay dirt once again for the game winner.  In the match, she had five shots with three on frame and the two scores.  Senior Riley Tennant added both assists in the match. 
 
For the season, VSU enters scoring 14 goals and allowing eight scores.  The Blazers have 96 shots with 56 on target for a .583 average for shots on goal.  VSU has 24 corner kicks and 11 assists for the season and are averaging 1.75 goals per game.  Senior Ashley Lewis leads the team with five goals and two assists for 12 points, while leading the team with two game winners.  She has a team-high 23 shots with 14 on goal.  Tennant is second in scoring with 11 points on four goals and a team-high three assists.  She has 17 shots and 13 on goal with one game winner.  Hicks, who was named the Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athlete of the Week, has three goals and one assist for seven points.  She has 18 shots for second on the team with 10 on frame and one game winner.
 
In goal, VSU has a 1.00 goals against average as a team, while recording 45 saves in 720:00 minutes.  The team has three shutouts for the season in 103 shots faced.  Junior Caroline Embler has logged 565:32 minutes with six goals allowed (0.95 GAA) with 34 saves and a 3-3 record.  Sophomore Samantha Blanford is 1-1 in 154:28 minutes with 11 saves and combined on one shutout, while allowing two goals. 
 
West Georgia is led by Sadie Prince who leads the team with three goals and six points.  She has eight shots with eight on goal for the season, while Janaisia Smith is second in scoring with two goals and one assist for five points.  Smith has three shots – all on frame with one game winner and is 2 for 2 in penalty kicks.  Karley Baker leads the team with 16 shots and six on goal, along with two scores and one game winner.  In goal, Jackie Donaldson has started all 830:00 minutes, surrendering 12 goals for a 1.30 GAA, logging 54 saves and is 4-4-1 on the year.
 
VSU evened the series at 4-4-1 all-time last season with a 3-0 win Carrollton on Oct. 16.  In the game, Lewis and Hicks each had goals in the contest as Embler posted the clean sheet for the win.  
 
Following the game, VSU remains at home next weekend as it welcomes Mississippi College and Delta State for a pair of matches at the VSU Soccer Complex on Oct. 18 and Oct. 20, respectively.