VALDOSTA, Ga. – Set to host its final two regular season home games this season, the Valdosta State women's soccer team hosts West Alabama on Friday at 7 p.m., and then Alabama Huntsville on Sunday at 1 p.m., both at the VSU Soccer Complex. The Blazers go into the weekend with a 7-4-1 record, 4-3-1 in Gulf South Conference matches.

Friday's contest against West Alabama will be VSU's annual Pink Out soccer game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Sunday's match against the Alabama Huntsville Chargers will be Senior Day, with the Blazers highlighting five seniors before the match.

The Blazers head into Friday's match, coming off a loss versus Christian Brothers Sunday at home, 1-0. The match was the first loss of the season at home for the Blazers, and they look to bounce back this weekend. The Tigers enter the match with a 7-2-2 record, 5-1-1 in conference play, and Chargers enter the weekend with a 5-4-2 record on the year and 3-3-1 in conference play. UAH will travel to Carrolton, Ga., to take on the West Georgia Wolves before heading down to Valdosta for Sunday's match with the Blazers.

The Blazers are 5-5-2 all-time against West Alabama, with the most recent meeting being in the 2021 GSC Spring Championship Series on March 21, 2021, where the Tigers walked away with a 3-2 win over the Blazers. The Blazers hold a 3-1-1 home record over the Tigers, with the most recent home match ending in a 3-2 loss for VSU during the 2018 season.

VSU holds a 7-3 record over UAH, with the most recent meeting ending in a 2-1 score line in favor of the Blazers on Oct. 6, 2019. VSU is 4-0 against the Chargers in Valdosta, with the most recent home meeting in the 2018 season where the Blazers came out victorious, 1-0.

Gameday Storylines 

Senior Gameday

Blazer Soccer has the honor of highlighting five seniors this year before the match against UAH. 

Lyana Steele, a midfielder from Palmetto Bay, Florida, has played in 53 games over four years going into the weekend, combining for 3,358 minutes, one goal, and 17 shots. She has earned GSC Academic Honor Roll three times and scored her first collegiate goal in spring 2021. She is currently majoring in psychology and plans to go to law school after graduating. 

Lauren Hicks, a forward out of Orlando, Florida, has played in 53 games over four years, combining for 2,521 minutes, 14 goals, and nine assists. She is fifth in school history in scoring, is tied for sixth in assists, and fifth in goals. Hicks is currently majoring in Health Sciences and plans to pursue a master's degree in business after graduating.

Kyleigh Reedy, a midfielder from Middleburg, Florida, has played in 54 games over four years and has logged 3,676 minutes, nine assists, and six goals. She has been named to the GSC Academic Honor Roll three times and the GSC All-Academic Team and CoSIDA Academic All-District team once. Reedy is currently majoring in nursing and plans to move to Jacksonville and get a job in a hospital as a registered nurse in the emergency department. 

Kaelyn Jones, a defender from Winter Park, Florida, has played in 50 games over four years, logged 3,191 minutes with 37 starts, and was a key component on VSU's backline. She is currently majoring in interdisciplinary studies and plans to attend pharmacy school at the University of Florida after graduating. 

Samantha Blanford, a goalkeeper from Winter Springs, Florida, has played in 24 games over four years before this weekend and has recorded 1,266 minutes and 70 saves. She is currently majoring in business management and plans to begin a pharmaceutical sales training program after graduating. 

Inside the Box Score 

This season, the Blazers' offense is led by sophomore Bailey Hern and freshman Molly Woolridge. Hern has four goals on the season with four assists, while Wooldridge has recorded six goals and three assists. Wooldridge has picked up 15 points on the year, while Hern has 12. Hern also leads the team with 29 shots and 15 on target, along with two game-winners, while Woolridge has 17 shots and eight 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 three goals, eight shots, and two game-winning goals.

Freshman goalkeeper Emma Pruett has combined for four shutouts on the year in VSU's wins against Albany State on September 8, Spring Hill on September 26, Delta State on October 20, and Union on October 15. Pruett has played in five matches for 310 minutes and has recorded seven saves for a 0.875 save percentage and a 2-1-0 record on the year. 

Also, between the posts, 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 28 goals with 20 assists for 76 points. The team has 148 shots with 81 on frame and seven game-winners. VSU also has an own goal to its credit this season.  

Nationally, the Blazers sit third in the GSC for shots with 148 and 81 shots on goal. The Blazers sit in second in the GSC in goals, recording 28 in 12 matches, and sit second in the GSC in points with 76.

Individually, Hern comes in fifth in the league in shots on goal with 15, fourth in assists with four, and 10th in points with 12. Wooldridge currently sits fourth in the league in points with nine and ninth in the league in goals with four.

 Looking at West Alabama 

The Tigers enter Friday's match coming off a 0-0 draw with Montevallo on October 17 at home. West Alabama was picked to come in just behind Valdosta State in seventh place in the GSC 2021 Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll. The team averages 1.55 goals per game and 11.3 shots per game. Dana Cruz leads the team with seven goals and 12 shots on goal, while Kaylah Butterworth leads the team in assists with six. Tabitha Weldon has played the most minutes and started all ten games between the pipes for the Tigers, logging 950 minutes, 36 saves, and a 0.878 save percentage.

Looking at Alabama Huntsville

Voted ninth in the GSC Coaches' Preseason Poll, the Chargers enter the weekend averaging 12.5 shots a game and have 15 goals on the season. UAH is led by Brynn Colvin with five goals and two assists, while Helena Gonzalez and Laura Hasani each have three goals on the year. Goalkeepers Hailey Hicks and Adriana Wright have combined minutes in goal this year, recording 47 saves in 123 shots faced for a combined 0.797 save percentage on the year.  

UAH has a 5-4-2 record and faces off against West Georgia on the road on Oct. 22, before taking on VSU on Oct. 24. The Chargers battled to a 1-1 draw against Christian Brothers on Oct. 10, and defeated the Union Bulldogs, 2-1, in overtime on Oct. 8. 

Upcoming Matches 

Following this weekend's matches, the Blazers are on the road for the final three regular season road matches, beginning at Montevallo on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m., ET, and at Auburn Montgomery on Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. ET.  The Blazers then head up to West Georgia on Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. to conclude the regular season. 

To stay up to date on all things Blazer soccer, follow Blazer Athletics on social media or visit vstateblazers.com.