Weekend Info

THIBODAUX, La. – After five consecutive matches on the road, the Nicholls State University women's soccer team returns home for a showdown with Southeastern Louisiana and Sam Houston State this Friday and Sunday afternoon with a tournament berth at stake.
 
After fighting their way through a grueling conference slate, the Colonels will have a loaded weekend recognizing its eight-member senior class prior to the match against the Lady Lions on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m., while closing out the regular season against the Bearkats at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Heading into this weekend, Stephen F. Austin, Oral Roberts and SLU are the only three teams to clinch a spot in the six-team, 2013 Southland Conference Women's Soccer Tournament Nov. 7-10 in Lake Charles, leaving the Colonels, Sam Houston State, Lamar Northwestern State, Central Arkansas and Houston Baptist fighting for the other three.
 
Nicholls and Sam Houston State are currently tied for the fourth seed with 5-5 records and 15 points, while Lamar is 4-5-2 with 14 points. Northwestern State is one point behind at 4-5-1 with 13, while UCA and HBU are each 4-6 for 12 points. There are a plethora of tournament scenarios, but in order for the Colonels to make the field, they will need to win at least one match this weekend and get some luck in a combination of losses by the Cardinals or Lady Demons who both own the tiebreaker over Nicholls.
 
Tickets can be bought online as well as at the gate for $5 or for the entire season for $30 as students can get in free with their Colonel Card. For fans unable to make the matches, for the first time this season all Colonel home soccer matches will be posted and archived later that day after the conclusion of the match and can be viewed with a subscription to Colonels All-Access.
 
Last Time Out
The Nicholls State University women's soccer team snapped a two-match losing skid and earned its third shutout of the year with a thrilling 1-0 win over Houston Baptist last weekend. Nicholls hadn't been able to keep a clean sheet over an opponent since blanking McNeese State to open the conference slate back in September, as the Colonels inched closer to capturing a berth into the Southland Conference Women's Soccer Tournament in Lake Charles Nov. 7-10. Nicholls closes out the regular season in the friendly confines of the Nicholls Soccer Complex against the Lady Lions and Bearkats, as the team hosts its "Family Weekend", honoring the eight-member senior class of Christina Bilczuk, Hilary Clark, Nicole Doherty, Meghan Lanteigne, Alexandra Marino, Annie Newell, Melissa Pestalozzi and Kelsey Sanders prior to the match on Friday afternoon.
 
The game-winner came from the foot of potential player of the year candidate Spencer Valdespino in the ninth minute, who scored her league-leading 13th goal of the season to break Kaity Mattsson's old mark of 12 set back in 2009. Just this season alone, Valdespino has become the single-season leader for points, goals and game-winning goals, while setting the new all-time career mark for game-winning goals with seven. Ranking in the top 20 in the nation in goals per game (14th), points per game (17th) and total goals (17th), Valdespino and company has helped Nicholls climb to the top in scoring offense and points in the Southland and the nation, while she leads the league in four different categories.
 
Not to be outdone, junior goalkeeper Amanda Boylson has put together her finest season in net for the Colonels, as she earned her sixth win of the season and second shutout of the year, earning honorable mention status for goalkeeper of the week after making a career-high 11 saves against the Huskies. Boylson's six wins ties Nicholls great Molly Mersereau for most wins by a goalie this season, a mark that could fall by the end of the weekend. Boylson's 1.74 goals-against average is fourth all-time in a season. 
 
Scouting Southeastern Louisiana
Southeastern Louisiana has already clinched a spot in next week's Southland Conference tournament and comes into the match this weekend 13-3-1 on the season and 8-2 in league play. The Lady Lions have consistently been one of the stronger women's soccer programs in Louisiana, and this season lead the league in assists, goal-against average and save percentage with two matches remaining. SLU is led by all-conference performer Kelsey Salcido who is tied for the team lead in goals with seven and leads the team in assists with eight. Salcido currently ranks first in assists per game, total assists and is eighth in total goals. Defensively, the Lady Lions are led by goalie Hope Sabadash. Sabadash is third in the nation in save percentage with a mark of .911, as the Lady Lions have given up just eight goals this season. The Lady Lions have been tested the last two weeks, as SLU has needed overtime to defeat Northwestern State and Sam Houston state by identical 1-0 scores. Nicholls has never defeated Southeastern Louisiana on the pitch, as SLU still owns the record for most goals scored against Nicholls with a 19-0 defeat in the program's first year of competition in 1998.
 
Scouting Sam Houston State
Sam Houston State is right around the middle of the pack in most statistical categories, coming into the match this weekend tied with the Colonels in the standings at 7-9-1 and 5-5 in the conference and looking for at least one win over the weekend to lock into a tournament spot. The Bearkats are led by midfielder Maria Titus who's seven goals leads the team, earning four of them in league play. SHSU has outscored its opponents 25-20 on the season, as the Bearkats are being outshot 16.2-15.1 in matches. Nicholls is 3-7-1 all-time against Sam Houston State.
 
Up Next
With a win this weekend the Colonels can qualify for the league tournament next week in Lake Charles.