SAN MARCOS, Texas – Back home after playing the previous five matches on the road, Texas State put together a dominating performance on the pitch Thursday night with a 6-1 win over Marshall at the Bobcat Soccer Complex in the team's Sun Belt Conference home opener. The victory extended the Bobcats' undefeated streak to six matches.
 
The win saw TXST improve to 5-3-3 on the season and 1-0-1 in the Sun Belt while the Thundering Herd drop to 2-4-2 overall and 0-1-1 in league action.
 
It took the Bobcats just 12 seconds to score the opening salvo. Marshall kicked off the match and Kaylee Smith headed the ball back up field. Mady Soumare then flicked it forward and Zoe Junior out runner the defender. She then sent a left-footed shot past the keeper for her second goal of the season.
 
Junior's tally is tied for the fastest in program history. Also scoring 12 seconds into a match was Kim Phillips against Prairie View A&M on Oct. 3, 2006.
 
Texas State would keep the pressure up but the Herd would find a breakthrough in the 11th minute. Brooklyn McComas was able to win the ball down the left side just outside the 18-yard box. She sent a tight angled shot that found the upper portion of the net to tie the match 1-1.
 
Just over 17 minutes later, the Bobcats' pressure results in a turnover just outside the penalty area. Victoria Meza sent a shot inside the left post to put the hosts back in front.
 
The scoring in the first half wrapped up in the 39th minute. Marie Philipzen was tripped in the box to draw a penalty kick. Sydney Bassa stepped up and slotted the spot kick into the right corner to increase the advantage on the freshman's second made penalty kick of the season.
 
Another forced turnover in the attacking third resulted in another Texas State goal. Smith won the ball off a throw-in and knocked the ball to Mya Ulloa, who then passed it to Soumare in the box. The Parisian cracked a shot that was tipped by the goalkeeper and hit off the left post. A Herd defender missed played the ricochet into the back of the net to make it a three-goal TXST advantage.
 
Helen Alormenu would be fouled about 25 yards out from goal. The freshman would take the free kick and place it into the upper left corner of the frame for her third goal of the season.
 
The scoring concluded 45 seconds later off a corner kick. A Marshall defender attempted header to clear on the ball resulted in the ball going into the goal.
 
A couple of other opportunities would present itself for the Bobcats to score but the shot was either stopped by the keeper or missed the frame. The closest was off a corner kick in the 85th minute when Abbey Miller headed the ball down but saw the ball bounce off the ground over the crossbar for a goal kick.
 
Texas State outshot Marshall 24-5 on the night with a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal. Most of the Bobcats attempts came in the first 45 minutes with 18 shots. Alormenu took a match-high five shots with two being on frame. Ulloa attempted four shots and Meza finished with three attempts.
 
In goal, Caitlyn Draper played the first 72 minutes and made one save. Katelyn Chrisman was between the posts for the final 18 minutes and did not face a shot.
 
The six goals for the Bobcats were the most since also scoring six against Texas Southern on Sept. 1, 2012. It was also the most goals netted in a conference match since netting seven on Nov. 2, 2008 against Central Arkansas.
 
Next up for TXST is a road match at Southern Miss on Sunday with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
 
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