VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's soccer team is scheduled to open the 2023 season Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. at the VSU Soccer Complex versus No. 10-ranked Embry-Riddle.  The Blazers enter with a 1-0-1 record, while ERAU is 2-0.  Wednesday's home-opener will be free admission to all.
 
Fans can access links to free streaming of the match and live stats at vstateblazers.com on the women's soccer schedule page.  Check back following the match for a complete recap and stats of the match.
 
The Blazers tied Clayton State 3-3 last Thursday behind a hat trick from senior Ana Moleka, marking her first hat trick as a Blazer and the ninth in program history and she is the seventh different Blazer to score three or more goals in a match.  It was the first hat trick since current junior Molly Wooldridge scored three goals in an 8-0 victory over Shorter on Sept. 23, 2022.  Former Blazer standout Ashley Lewis scored a school-record four goals against Spring Hill College on Sept. 29, 2017.  She also had a hat trick against Auburn Montgomery on Sept. 29, 2019.
 
Against the Lakers, Clayton State jumped out to the early lead just 2:16 into the match, but Moleka then took over scoring two goals for a 2-2 score at the break and then added the go-ahead goal early in the second half.  CSU scored the equalizer in the 83^rd minute for the tie.   Then on Saturday, VSU headed to Americus, Ga., to battle Georgia Southwestern where Moleka continued her strong start to the season with the first goal just 12:02 into the match. Sophomore Katherine Kimmel then scored her first goal of the season in the 61^st minute for a 2-0 lead. Junior Emma Pruett posted the shutout in 90 minutes of action.  For Moleka's efforts last week, she was named GSC Player of the Week Tuesday morning. 
 
Moleka leads the team with four goals for eight points, while she has five shots and four on target (.800) with one game winner in 115 minutes.  Junior Ansley Decenzo has a team-high three assists this season with three shots and one on target.  In goal, both freshman Tori Vliet and Pruett have seen time.  Vliet played the first half of the CSU match, giving way to Pruett who played the second half and all 90 minutes against GSW.  Pruett has logged 135 minutes, allowing one goal with two saves and a 1-0-1 record with a 0.67 GAA. 
 
The Blazers were picked eighth in the Gulf South Conference preseason poll as Mississippi College was tabbed the league favorite, followed by West Florida and Lee to round out the top three.  Montevallo was picked fourth, followed by West Georgia, West Alabama, Delta State, and the Blazers.
 
Head coach Stephen Andrew is in his seventh year at Valdosta State and he is the winningest coach in program history at 51-40-8 overall and 40-26-5 in GSC play.  He guided the Blazers the NCAA postseason in 2021 for the first time since 2014 and has led the team to the GSC postseason tournament five times.  Andrew is in his 17^th season of coaching overall and is 191-95-17 all-time. 
 
ERAU enters after a 1-0 win over West Georgia and then upset No. 3-ranked Columbus State 2-0 on the road last weekend.  Three different Eagles have scored goals for the team this season as Marie Myhrvold Seim leads the team with three points.  She has nine shots and four on target for the season.  In goal, Oona Jokinen has posted two shutouts and has five saves in 15 shots for the season. 
 
The Eagles were picked second in the preseason Sunshine State Conference Poll behind league-favorite Nova Southeastern. ERAU is under the direction of second-year head coach Liam McIlhatton and he welcomes back three, first team all-conference selections including Myhrvold Seim, Hattie Kettle and the SSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player Isabelle Navren. 
 
ERAU leads the all-time series 2-0 and won in Daytona Beach, Fla., last season 3-0 on Sept. 8, 2022.  Prior to that, the teams had not met since ERAU won 2-0 in Valdosta on Sept. 10, 2015.  
 
Georgia College enters the week with a 1-0 record after a 2-1 victory over Auburn Montgomery on Sept. 2.  GC is scheduled to host Newberry on Wednesday, before VSU visits for a 3 p.m. kick on Saturday.  Against AUM, the Warhawks scored just 58 seconds into the match, but GC's Aralyn Everett scored the equalizer in the 35^th minute and Mia Palumbo scored with an assist from Everett in the 54^th minute for the game winner.  GC outshot the Warhawks 10-6 and 7-5 in shots on goal. 
 
The Bobcats were picked fifth in the Peach Belt Conference Preseason Poll and return a number of key players including Ava Martin and Sarah Mason as the top two leading goal scorers from last season.  Head coach Jack Marchant is in his second season at the helm of the Bobcats after going 5-8-3 overall last season and 4-4-2 in PBC play.
 
VSU and GC are tied all-time 1-1-1 with VSU securing a 2-0 win in Valdosta last season after GC won 3-0 in Milledgeville in 2021.  The teams first met in 2016 in Milledgeville with a 0-0 draw.  
 
Following the two games this week, VSU continues on the road at Auburn Montgomery (Sept. 15) and at Montevallo (Sept. 17), before opening the GSC home slate on Sept. 22 against Alabama Huntsville.