Oct. 3, 2008

Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. - The Colonel soccer team dropped it's opening Southland Conference match-up, falling 4-0 to Sam Houston State Friday afternoon at the Colonel Soccer Complex.

"It's good to start conference play because that means a brand new season for our team," said head coach of the Colonels, Cindy Piper. "Unfortunately, we didn't come out ready to start that new season today."

Nicholls (2-10, 0-1 SLC) talled five shots on goal, led by junior Alicia Gautreau (Gonzales, La./East Ascension) who framed up two balls on the net.

"There are a lot of things that we need to improve on," noted Piper, "but right now, the main thing for us is urgency in the box and scoring goals. We have the right defensive game plan in place, we just gave up those last two goals as we pushed forward and put three forwards up top. Right now, we just need to get up and score goals."

Sam Houston's Raquel Bueno posted a hat trick for the Bearkats (6-2, 1-0 SLC), while Luana Miessa added the other SHSU goal.

The Bearkats scored twice in each half of the contest.

Freshman keeper Sarah Damen (Houma, La./Terrebonne) spent the full 90 minutes in goal for Nicholls, allowing all four goals and making four saves.

"We need to focus on coming back from this loss," Piper added. "We're not out of anything yet, we just need to push. We're putting pieces together, we just need to finish them off now. Sunday should be a tough game for us. Hopefully we come out a little bit better and we'll see what this team is made of."

Nicholls will return to the pitch Sunday, facing SFA at 1 p.m.

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