BATON ROUGE — The LSU soccer team, fresh off of its 2-0 shutout of in-state rival UL-Lafayette on Tuesday, is set for its first home weekend of the season as it welcomes a pair of opponents from the state of Texas to the LSU Soccer Complex.
The Tigers square off against Sam Houston State on Friday at 7 p.m. followed by a match against Houston on Sunday at 1 p.m. and are facing both teams for the first time in their history. LSU is looking to put together its first win streak of the young season as freshman Michelle Makasini and senior Joleen Phillips each scored goals to lead the Tigers (1-1-0) to their first win Tuesday.
“We’re looking forward to an exciting weekend of soccer against two quality teams in Sam Houston State and Houston,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “The girls have done a great job thus far in coming together as a team and improving day by day. I’m proud of the way we’ve competed to this point and expect that to continue this weekend.”
Sam Houston State enters Friday’s match with a 1-1 record on the season, including a 1-0 shutout of Mississippi State in its season opener on Aug. 25. The Bearkats are led by the play of junior forward Yoanna Garcia, who scored the team’s game-winning goal in double overtime against the Bulldogs.
“Sam Houston comes in with our full attention,” Lee said. “They had a successful finish to last season during the fall and turned around and upset Mississippi State to start this season. We know we’re going to get a team that’s capable of beating SEC squads. It ought to be a great match.”
Houston is 2-0 for the first time in program history and comes to Baton Rouge after edging UL-Lafayette in overtime, 3-2, in its season opener and shutting out in-state rival Baylor by the score of 2-0 on Sunday. The Cougars feature a duo that is sure to test the Tigers’ young back line as senior forward Sophia Mundy and freshman midfielder Jordan Godbolt lead the Cougar attack.
Mundy has rejoined the squad after competing for much of the summer with the U-21 U.S. National Team and enters the season as an All-American candidate and the Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Godbolt, who is the younger sister of LSU sophomore Veronica Godbolt, is the team’s leading scorer with two goals.
“The word out on Houston is that they’ve got some really good players and they continue to improve,” Lee said. “Veronica’s sister, Jordan, is a big part of that. She’s a similar player in that she’s athletic, she’s great in the air and she can score goals as a center midfielder. She’s their leading scorer right now.
“They’ve also got Sophia Mundy up front who’s been in with our National Team, so she’ll be a good test for our young back line. The coaching staff there does a great job, so we’re going to see a very organized, efficient Houston team on Sunday afternoon.”
Friday’s match is this season’s Student Point Game as members of the LSU student body have the opportunity to earn points toward the future purchase of football season tickets by having their ID scanned at the gate. The night’s theme is “Shirt Off My Back” as fans have the chance to win an authentic game jersey worn by one of the Tigers during the first half.
The Tigers’ match against Houston on Sunday has been dubbed the “Student-Athlete Game” by the LSU Marketing and Promotions Department as student-athletes representing many of the athletic programs at LSU will be in attendance and available for autographs during the first half.