SAN MARCOS, Texas – Three goals in an eight-minute span in the first half for the Texas State soccer team propelled it to a 4-2 win Friday night at the Bobcat Soccer Complex during the annual Pink Match. With the win, TXST clinched one of the top two seeds in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
 
The Bobcats improve to 10-4-1 overall, 8-1-0 in the Sun Belt and extended their winning streak to seven in-a-row while the Trojans fall to 6-9-2 on the season and 4-4-0 in conference action. It is the 11th time in program history that TXST has reached the 10-victory mark and third time in the last four years.
 
Striking first was Troy late in the sixth minute. Claire Taylor sent in a cross that Heather Martin tied to catch but bounced off her chest. Julia Winter was there to knock the loose ball in for the 1-0 advantage.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, Alyssa Phelan passed into the middle to Rachel Grout. The Dallas native took a dribble and sent a through ball to just inside the 18-yard box. Kaylee Davis was able to run onto and chip it into the left corner of the net to tie the match just 11 seconds after the Trojan score.
 
Kassi Hormuth tallied her seventh goal of the season and put the Bobcats up 2-1 early in the eighth minute. She dribbled down the right side beating the defender just enough to send a shot into the lower left corner past the diving keeper.
 
A little over two minutes later Brooke Ramsey nearly increased the lead when she unleashed a rocket of a shot that beat the keeper. However, the ball clanked off the crossbar and was cleared away by the Troy defense.


 
Late in the 14th minute, Hormuth sent in a cross from the right side of the pitch. After taking a hop, Davis headed the ball just inside the right post for her second goal of the contest and seventh of the season. The assist was Hormuth's 15th in her career and tied her for third on the program's career list with Natalie Holder (2003-06) and Rikki Padia (2005-08).
 
The Trojans only good chance to score for the rest of the first half came halfway through the 22nd minute. Julia Winter ripped a hard shot that Martin made a diving save on to keep the two-goal advantage.
 
In the 32nd minute, Grout attempted a long shot from 30 yards out. Her floater nearly went in but was tipped over the bar by Troy's Mikki Lewis for a corner kick.
 
The second half saw the Trojans maintain possession for most of the period. It paid off for them in the 66th minute when Winter headed home a cross from Kate Lorenz to cut the Bobcats' lead to 3-2.
 
Eventually, TXST won a corner kick in the 77th minute. Phelan sent the ball into the middle of the box and a Troy Defender attempted to head the ball away but was not able to get enough on her attempt. Genesis Turman was there to head the ball back towards the goal. The ball somehow squeaked by a Bobcat and Trojan to Grout, who beat the goalkeeper to the ball and knocked it into the back of the net for a 4-2 lead. It was the senior's team leading eight goal of the season.
 
Both teams attempted 10 shots and placed five on goal. Davis led the way for TXST with four shots and both Grout and Hormuth had two attempts each.
 
Grout and Hormtuh each were credited with their sixth assist of the year. Their total ties them for the eighth most in a season by a Bobcat. They are also the third TXST duo to record six or more assists apiece in a season in program history and first since 2011.
 
Martin picked up her ninth win between the posts, tied for the eight most in school history in a season. The sophomore made three saves on the night.
 
Sunday sees the Bobcats close out the regular season at 1 p.m. against South Alabama with the Sun Belt regular season title on the line on TXST's Senior Day.
 
For more information on the Texas State soccer team, visit the official website of Texas State Athletics at www.txstatebobcats.com, like on Facebook at Texas State Soccer and follow on Instagram and Twitter at @TxStateSoccer.