VALDOSTA, Ga. – With its game this past weekend washed out due to rain, the Valdosta State women's soccer team had to wait a few days longer to open the 2021 spring season.  The Blazers welcome Flagler College to the VSU Soccer Complex Wednesday for a 5 p.m. match.
 
Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming and more at vstateblazers.com on the women's soccer schedule page.  Check back with the site following the match for a complete recap and box score.
 
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there will be limited capacity at the VSU Soccer Complex this spring season.  A hard capacity of 130 (one hundred thirty) fans will be admitted to each home game.  Seating includes 52 seats in the grandstands and 78 available spots in marked off areas of the grass around the field.  Fans are encouraged to come to the VSU Soccer Complex early to ensure admittance.  Doors will open one (1) hour before each match and, for this spring only, there is no charge for admittance.  Fans interested in sitting in the 78 available spots in the marked off areas of the grass around the field, it is encouraged to bring lawn chairs/blankets.
 
Flagler had its first three games cancelled or postponed in February, so far, and also are opening the abbreviated spring season Wednesday just like the Blazers.  Flagler was scheduled to play Clayton State and Georgia Southwestern in Peach Belt Conference play and a non-conference match at Wingate prior to visiting Titletown Wednesday.
 
The Saints were picked as the Peach Belt Conference favorite this spring, while four players were named to the All-PBC Preseason Team in Sara Carr, Annie Habeeb, Sarah-Lisa Dubel and Sara Sandberg.  The program is coming off its best season in program history in 2019, as the Saints advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four, marking the third time a PBC school has advanced that far.  Flagler finished with a 23-1-1 record and a 10-0-1 mark in conference play, winning both the regular season and postseason league titles.  The 23 wins were the second-most in conference history. 
 
In 2019, Sandberg led the team with 25 goals and 11 assists for 61 points.  She had 93 shots with 54 on frame, eight game winners and went 1 for 2 in penalty kicks.  Habeeb finished third in scoring with 38 points on 16 goals and six assists.  She fired 56 shots with 34 on target and was 3 for 3 in penalty kicks with five game winners.  Carr started all 25 games recording three assists, while registering a team-high 2,073 minutes.  Dubel went 23-1-1 between the pipes with a 0.69 goals against average and 88 saves.  She logged 2223:07 minutes, surrendering 17 goals for the season, while posting 11 shutouts.
 
VSU head coach Stephen Andrew is in his fourth season at the helm of the Blazers.  He is 32-20-3 overall and 26-12-2 in Gulf South Conference play.  He guided VSU to three-straight conference tournament appearances from 2017-2019, before the COVID-19 Pandemic cancelled the 2020 fall season.  Overall Andrew is in his 14^th season of coaching at he is 172-75-12 all-time, coaching at Piedmont for nine seasons and Huntingdon College for one.
 
The Blazers were picked third in the GSC East Division Preseason Poll, announced last week by the league office.  VSU garnered 16 points in the poll as it was voted on by the head coaches in the league.  Teams received five points for a first-place vote, four points for a second-place vote, etc.  Head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
 
Lee was tabbed the East Division favorite with 24 points and received four of the six first-place nods, while Montevallo was second with 22 points and the remaining two first-place votes.  West Georgia was fourth with 14 points, followed by Auburn Montgomery (8) and Shorter was sixth with six points.
 
In the West Division, Mississippi College was named the favorite with 24 points and two first-place votes, followed by West Alabama (22 points / 2 first-place) and Christian Brothers was third with 16 points.  Delta State was selected fourth (12 points), followed by Alabama Huntsville (11 points) and Union was sixth with five points.
 
This marks the first regular season meeting between VSU and Flagler.  The teams have met in August for a number of exhibition contests in the past, but never have played in a countable match. 
 
The Blazers, who have not played a regular season game since the 1-0, double overtime loss at Lee on Nov. 12, 2019, finished the 2019 season with an 11-7 record overall and a 9-4 mark in GSC play. 
 
VSU returns a strong nucleus for the 2021 spring season, including second team all-conference performer in senior Lexie Hall.  Hall finished the 2019 campaign playing in 16 games with 15 starts.  She had one assist on the year with three shots on frame and earned GSC Academic Honor Roll accolades.  Hall has played in 49 games with 41 starts for her career as a Blazer.  She has 13 shots (.077) with four on frame (.308), scoring one goal on a penalty kick and recording five assists for seven points.
 
Also returning this season is Hicks, who finished third on the team in scoring in 2019 with seven goals and four assists for 18 points.  She played in all 18 games with 15 starts, while recording 41 shots for third on the team and 23 on frame.  She had two game winners and scored the first goal three times.  She finished 11^th in the GSC in goals scored. 
 
Along with Hicks and Hall, sophomore Amber Saunders returns as she scored one goal and five assists, along with sophomore Mallory Johnson (2g, 1a), junior Kyleigh Reedy (2g, 1a), sophomore Charlotte Sarri (1g) and senior Kira Malpica (1a) among players who registered stats last season.  Also returning is junior Kaelyn Jones, who logged 1247 minutes, along with junior Lyana Steele (1242 minutes) and senior Paige Taylor who led the team with 1476 minutes played.
 
In goal, junior Samantha Blanford returns as she has played in ten matches for her career with five starts.  She has logged 529:52 minutes with a 1.53 goals against average.  She has 26 saves for a .743 save percentage and a 4-1 record for her career with four shutouts.
 
A talented number of newcomers also highlight the 2021 spring roster, including sophomore transfer Rachel Howard who came to VSU from Bridgeport University in Connecticut.  There, she played in 13 games with two assists and seven shots with five on frame for the Purple Knights in 2019.  Also looking to make an immediate impact for the red and black is Taylor Morris who is a freshman from Port Coquitlam, B.C.
 
Following the match on Wednesday, the Blazers head to rival West Georgia for a Sunday match at 2:30 p.m.  VSU then returns home to host Lee on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m., and Montevallo on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m., at the VSU Soccer Complex.