App State Travels to Face East-Leading Old Dominion

OPENING KICK: App State soccer travels to Old Dominion on Friday, to face off with the Monarchs at 6 p.m. ODU sits in first place in the Sun Belt East Division with 13 points on the season, while a win for the third place Mountaineers could leapfrog them into the top spot in the Division. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
APP STATE LAST TIME OUT: Despite trailing 1-0 at halftime on Sunday, App State erupted in the second half, scoring five times, including three goals from Olivia Simon who became the sixth player in program history to record a hat-trick. The Marshall goal was an own goal, scored just two minutes into regulation, as a blocked shot deflected into the back of the net. Simon's first tally was the first goal of her career, while Izzi Wood added her team-leading sixth goal of the season, and Shannon Studer notched her first of the year, late in regulation. App State is now 6-4-3 on the season, equaling their win total from 2022, and are 3-1-2 in Sun Belt play.
 
ABOUT OLD DOMINION: The Monarchs are 9-1-3 on the season with their lone loss coming in conference play against Louisiana on Sept. 21. Old Dominion impressed in non-conference play, defeating Campbell, VCU, and Richmond, while earning a draw at Virginia Tech. Most recently, the Monarchs battled James Madison to a scoreless draw on Sunday. ODU is led offensively by Ece Turkoglu, who has scored five goals and added an assist. The Monarchs boast ten different goal scorers through 13 games on the campaign. Emily Bredek has started all but one game in goal this season, allowing just four goals on the campaign while recording eight shutouts. Her .314 goals-against-average ranks second in the nation.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Friday's contest will mark the third meeting all-time between the Mountaineers and Monarchs. Last season the Mountaineers captured a 1-0 win as Skyler Walk bounced home a free kick from just beyond midfield in the 68^th minute. The only other matchup came in 2018, when the two teams battled to a scoreless draw.
 
BY THE NUMBERS:
1 – Olivia Simon became one of just ten freshmen in the country to record a hat-trick this season with her three goals in the second half against Marshall on Oct. 8.
5 – The Mountaineers five second half goals were the most in a match since 2019 when they defeated UNC Asheville 6-0, and were the most in a single half since 2013 against the Citadel. It also ties the most goals scored against a Sun Belt opponent, matching an Oct. 4, 2015 performance against Texas State.
6 – Simon became the sixth player in program history, and the first since 2014, to record a hat-trick, tying the App State single-game scoring record.
9 – App State extended their home unbeaten streak to nine consecutive matches dating back to Oct. 14 of last season
14 – The 14 shots on goal against Marshall were the most in a match since Oct. 2, 2016 in a 3-1 win over ULM
 
ON THE RISE: Prior to falling against South Alabama on Oct 5., App State was unbeaten through their first four matches of conference play, marking the first time since 2013, and the first time as a Sun Belt member, that the Mountaineers have not lost a match through four conference contests. Overall, App State won three of its first five games this season, marking the fewest games played to accumulate three victories since 2016, when the Mountaineers won three of their first four games of the season. Additionally, App State's four consecutive shutouts from Aug. 20 – Sept. 3 matched a program record, also accomplished in both 2006 and 2007. During that span, App State put together a 447-minute streak without conceding a goal. Prior to this season, where they have twice gone four consecutive games without a loss, the Mountaineers had not had a four-game unbeaten streak since 2016.
 
SIMON SAYS: Freshman Olivia Simon has made an instant impact for the Mountaineers this season, earning starts in 12 of the team's first 13 games, while playing at least 50 minutes in all 12 contests. Simon broke through with the first goal of the season in the second half against Marshall on Sunday, and went on to score two more goals in the match, becoming the sixth player in program history to record a hat-trick, and the first since Sam Childress against Liberty in 2014. Simon has been aggressive in testing opposing goalkeepers this season, launching 20 shots, including eight on target. Her shot total ranks fourth on the team. Simon earned her first career assist against UT Martin on Aug. 24, and hit the crossbar twice against Georgia Southern, Sept. 29.
 
INCREDIBLE IZZI: After leading the Mountaineers with six goals in 2022, Izzi Wood is on pace to eclipse that mark in 2023, scoring six goals in the first 13 games of the campaign. Wood has tested opposing goalkeepers early and often this season, leading the Sun Belt with 61 shots, and 26 shots on target. Wood's six goals are tied for fifth in the conference, while her four game-winning goals are tied for first in the Sun Belt and ninth in the nation. Wood's goal against Marshall on Sunday was the 14^th of her career, which moves her into 10^th place in program history.
 
IT'S SUMMER TIME: Summer Bowman has been superb since conference play began, scoring three goals in six matches for the Black and Gold. Most recently, Bowman scored in the 44^th minute to give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead over South Alabama on Oct. 5. Prior to that, Bowman scored with seven minutes remaining to help the Mountaineers earn a 1-1 tie at Coastal Carolina on Sept. 20. Then at home on Sept. 24 against JMU, Bowman scored with 64 seconds remaining in regulation to again help App State pull out a 1-1 draw. The tallies were the first two goals of Bowman's career. She ranks fourth on the team with six points and third in shots with 22 shots, including eight shots on goal. Her three goals in Sun Belt play are tied for second in the conference against league opponents.
 
BETWEEN THE PIPES: Fifth year goalkeeper Kerry Eagleston has been a mainstay between the pipes for the Mountaineers, playing and starting in 85 games across five seasons. She is the active career leader for Division 1 soccer for saves (390) and minutes played by a goalkeeper (7,778).
 
With a 37^th minute save against Coastal Carolina on September 20, Eagleston became the all-time saves leader for the Mountaineers, recording her 376^th career save. Eagleston has also collected 23 career shutouts, which ranks second in program history. Eagleston ranks sixth in the Sun Belt with 38 saves and seventh in the conference with a .923 goals-against average, and is third in the Sun Belt with six shutouts this season.

UP NEXT: App State will close out their home season as they host Southern Miss on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+. The Golden Eagles are 3-2-1 in Sun Belt play this season and are next in action on Sunday against Georgia Southern.