University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Women's Soccer Hosts Longwood on Senior Day
10.23.2015 | Women's Soccer
THE MATCHUP
Teams: Asheville (11-6-0, 4-4-0 BSC)
Longwood (8-6-2, 4-2-2 BSC)
Location: Greenwood Field/Asheville, N.C.
Time: Saturday, Oct. 24, 4:30 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (Big South Network) | LIVE STATS
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville women's soccer team plays host to its final home game of the year and its penultimate game of the regular season Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., facing Longwood at Greenwood Field. Saturday's game will be celebrated as Senior Day as the 2015 senior class of Kennedy Garrett and Alex Stradford will be making their final home appearance.
Saturday's game will be available live online on the Big South Network.
Asheville is coming off a dramatic come-from-behind double-overtime victory on the road at South Carolina Wednesday night. Trailing 2-0 at the half, the Bulldogs knotted up the game with goals by sophomore Caroline Houser in the 52nd minute and junior Paige Trent in the 58th minute before Trent delivered the game-winner in the 106th minute to give Asheville a 3-2 win. Wednesday's win was Asheville's 11th of the season, bettering last season's total of 10.
SENIOR DAY
Fans are encouraged to arrive early to Saturday's game as two Bulldog seniors, Garrett and Stradford, will be honored pregame. The 2015 senior class has been a part of 32 Bulldog victories and has recorded 10 or more wins in each of the last two seasons (2014: 10-9-1; 2015: 11-6-0). Asheville's current total of 21 wins over the last two seasons ranks as the fifth-most wins over a two-year span in program history (1995-96: 26 wins; 2004-05: 24 wins; 2005-06: 23 wins; 2003-04: 22 wins).
Garrett has appeared in 64 career games including 47 starts. The Cary, N.C., native, has tallied 11 goals, nine assists, and 31 points total during her Blue & White career. In 2013, Garrett led the team in three categories including goals (4), assists (2) and points (10). The midfielder has been a part of a Bulldog attack that has scored 112 goals in 75 games played over the last four seasons (1.49 goals per game).
Stradford has appeared in 45 career games including 37 starts. From her backline defender position, she recorded her first career point on an assist in a 2-1 win over Eastern Kentucky earlier this season (Aug. 23). The Wake Forest, N.C., native, has been a part of a defense that has recorded 17 shutouts over the last four years including six shutouts this season.
ASHEVILLE NOTES
- With their 11th win of the season on Wednesday, the Bulldogs have recorded back-to-back double-digit win seasons after bettering last season's win total of 10. In fact, Asheville has posted back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the fifth time in the program's 23 year history and the Bulldogs' 21 wins the last two years ranks as the fifth-most wins over a two-year span in program history (1995-96: 26 wins; 2004-05: 24 wins; 2005-06: 23 wins; 2003-04: 22 wins).
- Asheville's backline has been stingy this season en route to posting six shutouts. In fact, six shutouts is tied for fifth-most in a single season (12 in 1995; 10 in 2004; eight in 2003, 2005, 2006; seven in 1997, 1999). Asheville has recorded at least five shutouts in a season 14 times in program history and in each of the last three seasons (five in 2013; five in 2014; six in 2015).
- Sophomore Caroline Houser is on pace to set a new school record for assists in a season as her current total of nine helpers is tied for most in a single season with Kaitlyn Eckert (2012). Houser's nine assists is second in the conference and 11th in the nation. The 2014 Big South Conference Freshman of the Year has 13 career assists, tied for fifth-most in school history. Houser poured in her team-leading seventh goal of the season in the 58th minute at South Carolina State (Oct. 21). Houser's 23 points this season leads the team and is tied for eighth with Kristi Cummings (1993) for most points in a single season in single season.
- The Bulldogs have shown to possess one of the most dynamic offenses in the Big South Conference, pacing the conference in goals (33) and points (93) while also ranking second in shots (266, 15.65 per game) and assists (27, 1.59 per game). The offensive attack has been sparked by a trio of players, as sophomore Caroline Houser leads the team in goals (7), assists (9), and points (23), while freshman Justine James and junior Paige Trent are tied for second in goals scored with six apiece.
- Junior Justine James provided the game-winning goal for the Bulldogs in the 106th minute to upend South Carolina State (Oct. 21). The goal for James was her second of the night after finding the back of the net in the 58th minute to even the score and was her first multi-goal game of the season. James' sixth goal of the season helped Asheville improve to an impressive 7-1 (.875) record in games decided by one goal and remain a perfect 3-0 in overtime games this season.
- Two Bulldogs have earned Big South Conference Player of the Week honors this season. Freshman goalkeeper Lily Brown was named the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 12, her first career award. Brown also becomes the first Bulldog to win Defensive Player of the Week honors since the award's inception in 2010. Junior Paige Trent was named the conference's Attacking Player of the Week on Aug. 24. Four players under fifth-year head coach Michelle Demko have received a weekly award while 28 Bulldogs since 1993 have garnered weekly conference accolades.
QUOTABLE
“Tomorrow will be an exciting game. We are back at home hosting Longwood for our last regular season home game. Our energy and focus are high, with a goal of delivering 90 minutes of high-level soccer. Collectively, we get to honor our seniors for their work in our program for four years. My hope is we give them a great send off and play in their honor tomorrow.” - Fifth-year head Coach Michelle Demko
UP NEXT
- The Bulldogs close out the regular season Oct. 27 on the road at Gardner-Webb.
