VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's soccer team begins a four-match homestand this week, facing off against Union on October 15, at 7 p.m., and Christian Brothers on October 17, at 1 p.m., at the VSU Soccer Complex.
Coming off a 1-0 victory over Delta State last Sunday, the Blazers return home with a 6-3-1 record overall and a 3-2-1 in Gulf South Conference (GSC) play. The Bulldogs enter the match with a 2-8 record overall and a 2-6 mark in the GSC. Christian Brothers enters the weekend with a 6-4-1 record, 4-2-1 in the GSC and will travel to West Georgia for a match Friday, prior to heading to Titletown for Sunday's contest.
The Blazers are 5-1-2 all-time against the Bulldogs, with the most recent meeting being in the 2019 season, where the Blazers recorded a 6-0 win in Jackson, Tenn. VSU has a 2-0-2 record with Union in Valdosta, with the most recent home match ending in a 3-1 victory during the 2018 season.
VSU is 7-2-1 against Christian Brothers, with the most recent meeting ending in a 2-1 scoreline in favor of the Blazers on November 1, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. The Blazers enjoy a 3-0-1 home record against the Buccaneers and are riding a two-match winning streak against CBU.
Gameday Storylines
Inside the Box Score
This season, the Blazers are led by sophomore Bailey Hern and freshman Molly Woolridge. Hern has three goals on the season with four assists, while Wooldridge has recorded six goals on the season and three assists. Wooldridge has picked up 15 points on the year while Hern has 10. Hern also leads the team with 20 shots and ten on target, along with one game-winner, while Woolridge has 13 shots and seven on frame and one game-winner.
Junior Lauren Hicks has five points on the year with two goals, while freshman Jocelyn Oballe is quickly finding her footing on the team, recording two goals, both game-winning goals.
Freshman goalkeeper Emma Pruett, this week's GSC Freshman of the Week, recorded her first collegiate shutout at Delta State Sunday. She combined for three shutouts on the year in VSU's wins against Albany State on September 8, Spring Hill on September 26, and Sunday. Pruett has played in three matches for 38:49 minutes and has recorded three saves for a 1.00 save percentage.
Also between the posts, senior Samantha Blanford has played in eight matches with six starts, logging 545:16 minutes. She has 1.49 goals against average with 28 saves for a .757 save percentage. Blanford is 3-2-1 on the year with one shutout and combined on two other shutouts. Freshman Landon Carter has played in five matches with three starts in goal. She has a 2.09 GAA with nine saves and a 2-1 record while combining in one shutout in 258:15 minutes.
As a team, the Blazers have scored 26 goals with 18 assists for 70 points. The team has 117 shots with 66 on frame and six game-winners. VSU also has an own goal to its credit this season.
Nationally, the Blazers sit sixth in the GSC for shots with 117 and 66 shots on goal. The Blazers lead the GSC in goals, recording 26 in 10 matches, and sit second in the GSC in points with 71.
Individually, freshman Jocelyn Oballe currently is first in the GSC in game-winners with two in six matches. Hern comes in 11th in the league in shots on goal with 10, third in assists with four, and 10th in points with 10. Wooldridge currently sits second in the league in points with nine and sixth in the league in goals with four.
Looking at Union
The Bulldogs enter Friday's match coming off two losses, falling to Alabama Huntsville 2-1, on October 8 and West Alabama, 1-0 on October 10. Union was picked last in the GSC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. The team averages 0.90 goals per game and 9.6 shots per game. Annika Weidner leads the team with four goals and 20 shots, while Ava Duval, Abigail Langston, Hannah Patterson, Rivers Abshere and Matilda Nyberg each have one goal. Bryson Lee has been between the posts this season for the Bulldogs. She has started all ten matches and tallied 70 saves, along with 19 goals against. She has a 0.789 save percentage and a 2-8-0 record on the year.
Looking at Christian Brothers
Voted eighth in the GSC Coaches' Preseason Poll, Christian Brothers enters the road trip averaging 14.0 shots a game and has 22 goals on the season. The Buccaneers are led by Bailey Tadlock with 11 goals and two assists, while Anna Della Rosa has four goals in the year and two assists. Goalkeeper Riley Chafin leads team with 34 saves in 11 matches, allowing seven shots past her and a 6-4-1 record this year.
CBU has a 6-4-1 record on the year and faces off against West Georgia on the road on October 15 before taking on VSU on October 17. The Buccaneers have had wins against Tampa, Harding, Montevallo, and Auburn Montgomery, and battled to a 1-0 defeat against No. 4 Lee, on September 19.
Upcoming Matches
Following this weekend's matches, the Blazers host West Alabama on October 22 at 7 p.m., and Alabama Huntsville on October 24 at 1 p.m. at the VSU Soccer Complex for the final regular season home matches this year.
To stay up to date on all things Blazer soccer, follow Blazer Athletics on social media or visit vstateblazers.com.
