SAN MARCOS, Texas – The second weekend of the season sees the Texas State soccer team begin a four-match homestand at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. First up is Lamar (0-0-0) and Friday at 7 p.m. followed by a 2 p.m. contest on Sunday against Abilene Christian (0-1-1).
 
Both matches will have live stats available. While Friday's contest won't be streamed, Sunday's match will be shown on ESPN+ with Brant Freeman on the call.
 
Bobcat Soccer Complex Attendance Policy
The Bobcat Soccer Complex will operate at just 25% capacity (125 fans) this season sue to the COVID-19 pandemic. The full attendance policy can be found at this link: Soccer Attendance Policy
 
Goals2Cure
Texas State is putting on its fourth annual Goals2Cure initiative that raises funds in support of women fighting ovarian cancer. TXST is collecting pledges for each goal scored this season with donations going directly to benefit the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. To donate, go to the following link: www.pledgeit.org/goals2cure-2020.
 
Last Weekend
To open the 2020 season, the Bobcats fell in double overtime 2-1 to Stephen F. Austin at home with the match-winner coming with nine seconds left on the clock. Texas State followed with a late goal in regulation to play to a 1-1 draw at Houston Baptist.
 
Both goals were setup and scored by freshmen. Emma Jones netted the first goal of the NCAA season against the Ladyjacks off a pass from Trinity Clark. Scoring the tying goal in Houston was Alana Clark with the assist going to Haley Shaw.
 
In net, Beth Agee recorded 16 saves over the two matches. It is the most saves by a TXST goalkeeper in the first two matches of a season since Kristen Tutt had 19 in 2002. Agee's seven stops against SFA were the most in a season opener since 2010 when Lauren Frazier made 9 at Texas Tech.
 
Inexperience Between the Posts
After having the incredible goalkeeping duo of Kathryn Budde and Heather Martin the last four years, Texas State starts over with freshmen Beth Agee and Abby Lucksinger between the posts. For the Bobcats, it will be just the second time in program history that they don't have a goalkeeper with Division I experience on the roster with the first time being the inaugural season in 1999.
 
Scouting Lamar
Friday is the season opener for Lamar. Last season the Cardinals went 16-7-0, 10-1-0 in the Southland Conference and won both the league's regular season and tournament titles. They fell 4-1 to UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Returning for LU is the dynamic scoring duo of Lucy Ashworth (21 G, 17 A) and Esther Okoronkwo (25 G, 10 A) that combined for 46 goals and 27 assists in 2019. Madison Ledet contributed four goals and seven assists while Kaisa Juvonen posted three goals and two assists.
 
Sandra Nygard appeared in 16 matches, starting 13 of them, in goal. She finished with a 1.72 GAA and .753 save percentage with 67 stops. Erin Branch played in nine matches, starting seven, between the posts. The sophomore posted a 7-1-0 record, 1.61 GAA, 47 saves and a .797 save percentage.
 
All-Time vs. Cardinals
Texas State leads the all-time series 7-0-1. The last meeting came on Aug. 19, 2016 in Beaumont with the Bobcats winning 2-0. It was the first match back to the sidelines for head coach Kat Conner following her diagnosis of ovarian cancer the year before.
 
Last time the teams met in San Marcos was Sept. 20, 2015. That day saw TXST come out on top 4-2. The victory moved the Bobcats record to 4-0-0 when playing the Cardinals at home.
 
Scouting Abilene Christian
Abilene Christian is 0-1-1 on the year after falling 2-0 to Louisiana to open the year and playing to a 1-1 draw at Stephen F. Austin. Sunday's match will be the Wildcats last against a Division I opponent this Fall as they host four Division II beginning Sept. 25.
 
The only goal for the Wildcats this season was an own goal by the Ladyjacks. Christian Arteaga leads the team with nine shots and became the program's all-time leader with 246. Natalie Jones has taken seven shots and placed a team-high three on frame.
 
Erin Smith has started both matches in goal. She comes into the contest with a 1.35 GAA, 10 saves and a .769 save percentage.
 
All-Time vs. Wildcats
Sunday's match will be the first ever meeting between the two programs.
 
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