Oct. 16, 2009
Box Score
THIBODAUX - Sophomore forward Kandice Champagne found the net for the second time this year as her 17th minute goal tied the match at 1-1. However, it wasn't enough as the defending regular season and conference tournament champion Texas State Bobcats (10-6-0, 5-0-0 Southland Conference) pulled away for a 3-0 win over the Nicholls State University women's soccer team (4-11-0, 0-4-0 Southland) on Friday afternoon.
The Bobcats struck first as Britney Curry, the Southland's leading goal scorer, added to her legue-leading total with her 15th goal of the season just 51 seconds into the first half.
However, the Colonels responded as redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Molly Mersereau turned away the next seven Bobcat shots (as part of an 11 save afternoon) and the Colonel defense forced another shot off target to slow one of the conference's best offenses.
Nicholls broke through at 16:10 of the first half as Champagne collected a cross from sophomore defender Keisha Brown before beating one defender in the box and chipping it home past a diving Bobcat goalkeeper Mandi Mawyer to tie things at 1-1.
Unfortunately, the match would not stay tied for long. Texas State answered 29 seconds after play resumed as the Taylor Kelley scored off a rebound for her second goal of the season to make it 2-1 Bobcats.
The Bobcats added one more first half goal in the 33rd minute to take a 3-1 lead into the half.
As play resumed, the Nicholls defense stepped up. The Colonels forced seven of the Bobcats' nine second half shots off target and Merserau took charge of the other two to keep the Texas State offense off the board in the second half.
Meanwhile, the Colonel offense tried to step up its attack. After getting off ust a pair of shots in the first, the Colonels fired five shots, including three on goal in the second.
Unfortunately, Mawyer and the Bobcat defense was just as effective in the second half as the Colonel back line. Nicholls could not break through again as the Bobcats hung on for a 3-1 win.
The Colonels will return to action on Sunday when they host Texas-San Antonio (9-6-0, 4-0-0 Southland) at 1 p.m. at the Nicholls State Soccer Complex. The Roadrunners are currently second in the league and undefeated in conference play.
