
Ladyjacks Win Eighth Straight, Beat NICH 4-1
10/20/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 20, 2013
Final Stats
SFA 4, NICH 1
Photo Gallery
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack soccer team reeled off their eighth consecutive victory, all in Southland Conference play, with a 4-1 statement win over Nicholls State Sunday afternoon at the SFA Soccer Field.
SFA (13-2-1, 8-1 SLC), despite surrendering its first goal to the opposition in the current win streak, tied a season-high with four goals against the Colonels (10-5-1, 4-5 SLC). The Ladyjacks also scored four times in the 4-0 victory over LSU, the first win against the Tigers in program history for SFA.
Junior forward Chelsea Raymond tied the Ladjacks' all-time goal record with the 38th of her career. The Irving, Texas, native, is now one goal away from holding the individual mark by herself with four games remaining.
“A great match featuring the number one rated offense in the conference in Nicholls State verse the number one defense in the country in our team," SFA head soccer coach Wally Crittenden said. "The stage was set to be a dynamic game featuring some very good players on both sides of the ball. We were able to execute to a very high level offensively and scored some great goals. Defensively, we did a lot of really good things and I was pleased with our commitment to partner in possession with the midfield and forwards. Ultimately, they scored a great goal and while you always want to prevent any goal, their player stepped up and made a great play. It was a really well struck ball.
"Everyone contributed collectively in today's result and it was very good all around. Our performance today is consistent with this group getting better everytime they take the field. I am really excited to see what they present on Friday night."
The Ladyjacks outshot NICH 20-9 on the afternoon and held an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal.
Freshman midfield Hailey Hunt got SFA on the board with her fourth goal of the season in the 10th minute of play. Hunt scored on a penalty kick, following a foul in the box from Colonel goalkeeper Amanda Boylson (5-3-1) that earned a yellow card.
The Ladyjacks scored what later proved to be the game-winning goal on an own-goal from the NICH defense at the 20:05 mark.
At the beginning of the second half, Colonel forward Spencer Valdespino scored her 12th goal of the season to make it 2-1. The goal for Valdespino, tied the NICH school-record for goals in a single-season and snapped the seven-game shutout streak for SFA.
The one-goal difference spanned nearly 17 minutes, until Raymond gave the Ladyjacks back a two-goal advantage. Raymond scored her eighth goal of the season on a breakaway, following a pass from Melissa Gaudet in the 62nd minute of play.
SFA added one more goal at the 63:58 mark from senior midfield Brenda Salazar, her first of the season, to make in 4-1 in favor of the Ladyjacks.
Junior goalkeeper Morgan Glick improved to 5-1 on the season making one save, before rotating with senior Lacey Lee at the half.
SFA will look to continue its best start in program history, in a 7:00 p.m. showdown with No. 25 Texas Oct. 25 on Senior Day. The match will mark the final home contest for seniors Megan Wasiak, Gaudet, Lee and Salazar.
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