THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Thomas hosts Johnson & Wales (Fla.) on Saturday at TU Soccer Complex in Sun Conference (TSC) action. Kickoff for Thomas Area Soccer Association (TASA) Girls Day and Senior Day is set for 2 p.m. ET.
In addition to live stats, the match will be televised online through Night Hawks Television. Updates will also be available on Thomas' official women's soccer Twitter account (@NightHawksWSocc).
Youth girls from TASA, a medium-sized, non-profit club founded in 1983 based in Thomas County, will be on hand to watch the Night Hawks' contest. The club was founded on the principals of developing players, coaches and referees and serves the cities of Cairo, Moultrie, and Thomasville. Saturday is also Senior Day for seven Thomas players - Olivia Taylor, Linnea Roivas, Aliya Callaghan, Kaleigh Premo, Rebekah Wiltshire, Madison Buechner and Sierra Robinson - who will be recognized starting at 1:45 p.m.
Game 14/Johnson & Wales (7-6, 4-4 TSC) at Thomas (5-7-1, 2-5Â TSC)
Saturday, Oct. 21 • 2 p.m. ET
Thomasville, Ga. • TU Soccer Complex
Promotions: TASAÂ Girls Day, Senior Day
TV: Night Hawks Television
Live Stats:Â Night Hawks Television
Twitter Updates:Â @NightHawksWSocc
ABOUT THOMAS
The Night Hawks are coming off a 3-2 loss at Warner (Fla.) on Oct. 14 in league play.
The Royals scored their first two goals in a 57-second span of the 16th minute.
After being outshot 8-6 in the first 45 minutes, Thomas dominated offensive play for much of the second stanza, outshooting the Royals 12-3 in the frame and 18-11 overall. Each team earned three corner kicks in the first period, but the Night Hawks generated eight chances in the final 45 minutes compared to none by Warner.
The Green and White's second-half offensive onslaught finally paid off in the 64th minute when
Whitley Anderson beat Royal goalkeeper Sarah Bergkvist with help from
Taylor Hults.
Anna Gray tied the affair in the 86th minute, but Warner scored the game-winner 10 seconds later.
Anderson and Taylor each recorded two shots on goal.
Night Hawk netminderÂ
Kara Houston collected three saves in 90 minutes.
ABOUT JOHNSON & WALESThe Wildcats are coming off a 2-1 loss at Warner on Wednesday in conference action, their second-straight defeat.
Savannah Jackson gave Johnson & Wales a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute. The Royals tied the match in the 44th minute.
The Wildcats peppered the Warner defense early in the second half, recording six shots in the first 17 minutes. However, the Royals broke the draw with a goal in the 66th minute.
Goalkeeper Chelsie Randolph made two saves in 90 minutes in the loss.
Johnson & Wales outshot Warner, 16-5.
The Wildcats rank 47th in the NAIA in saves per game (6.9).
Jackson ranks second in the conference and 18th in the NAIA in goals (15) and 29th nationally in points per game (2.4). Randolph is 43rd in the NAIA in saves (77).
LASTÂ TIME OUT AGAINST THE WILDCATS
Thomas defeated Johnson & Wales, 1-0, on Oct. 27, 2016, at TU Soccer Complex.Â
Roivas scored in the 82nd minute. Milene Anstett delivered a ball off a corner kick that was deflected by Luciane Wentz and finished by Roivas.
The Night Hawks outshot the Wildcats, 20-7, and held an edge in corner kicks, 4-3.
Houston collected five saves in 90 minutes for the win.
SERIES HISTORY
Thomas is undefeated (5-0-1) in six prior meetings with Johnson & Wales, having outscored its counterpart a combined 18-4, although the Night Hawks have held off the Wildcats 1-0 in each of the last two matchups.
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
The Night Hawks have won 61 percent of their TSC games in the last four seasons due in large part to the group of seven seniors being recognized Saturday.
LIGHT 'EM UP
Roivas has scored three goals in her career against Johnson & Wales. Taylor has netted one goal, while Premo has one assist.
THE DANCE
With only three games remaining in the regular season, Saturday's contest is pivotal for both teams as they vie for a berth in the upcoming seven-team league tournament. The Night Hawks, currently in ninth place, trail SCAD Savannah (Ga.) and USC Beaufort (S.C.) by one game for the final playoff spot and the Wildcats by two games for sixth place. The Night Hawks own the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Bees but do not with the Sand Sharks. Thomas trails Webber International (Fla.), which it hosts in its final regular-season home contest on Wednesday, Oct. 25, by three games for fourth place.
| SCHOOL |
TSC |
| Keiser (Fla.) |
8-0 |
| Southeastern (Fla.) |
6-1 |
| Saint Thomas (Fla.) |
5-2 |
| Webber International (Fla.) |
5-2 |
| Warner (Fla.) |
5-3 |
| Johnson & Wales (Fla.) |
4-4 |
| SCAD Savannah (Ga.) |
3-5 |
| USC Beaufort (S.C.) |
3-5 |
| Thomas |
2-5 |
| Florida Memorial |
0-7-1 |
| Ave Maria |
0-7-1 |
THOMAS IN 19TH SEASONÂ
The 2017 campaign marks the 19th in the history of Thomas women's soccer.Â
The Night Hawks reached the NAIA National Championship in 2003, going 1-1.
Thomas has been a member of The Sun Conference since 2012 and is 33-21Â in league play. The Night Hawks reached The Sun Conference Tournament championship in 2015.
TAYLOR'S CAREER DAY
Taylor's hat trick against then-No. 12 Southeastern (Fla.) on Oct. 11 was the first for the program since Jenny Hernandez accomplished the feat in a 3-2 win at Webber International (Fla.) on Oct. 26, 2014.
GOALS
Thomas scored a season-high seven goals Sept. 30 against Ave Maria, the most in a match since a 9-0 win over the Gyrenes on Oct. 19, 2013.
The Night Hawks are plus-seven in goal differential this season.
TEN OR MORE
At least one Thomas player has scored 10 or more goals in five of the last six seasons. Taylor has registered a team-high 10 this year and also leads the squad in assists (6) and points (26).
ONE OR LESS
Thomas is unbeaten (8-0-1) in its last nine matches when allowing one goal or less.
BY THE NUMBERS
63: Taylor has started 63-straight matches dating back to 2014.
39: Thomas totaled a season-high 39 shots in the Sept. 30 win against Ave Maria.
21: All 21 active Thomas student-athletes have played in at least three matches this season.
13: Thirteen Night Hawks had at least one shot in the Sept. 30 win over the Gyrenes.
10: Ten different Night Hawks have scored the team's 35 goals.Â
9: Nine Thomas players had at least one shot on goal in the Sept. 30 triumph over Ave Maria.
5: A total of 25 student-athletes on the roster hail from five different states and as many countries.
4: Coach Julie Orlowski is four wins shy of 50 during her time on the Magnolia Campus. Houston has posted four shutouts in the last two seasons. Houston and Robinson have combined for four shutouts in the last two seasons.
3: Three Night Hawks - Taylor, Houston, Gray - have started every match in 2017.
AMONG THE BEST IN THE NAIA
Thomas ranks 47th in the NAIA in goals per game (2.7).
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Orlowski's team faces four programs ranked in the latest NAIA top 25: No. 4 William Carey (Miss.), No. 6 Keiser, No. 10 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 11 Southeastern. One other - Saint Thomas - is receiving votes.
The Night Hawks are 0-4 against the top 25 this season, having lost at home to then-No. 8 Keiser and then-No. 12 Southeastern, then-No. 7 William Carey in a neutral site match and at then-No. 12 Mobile. Orlowski's group also fell at Saint Thomas.
Three opponents - Keiser, William Carey and Mobile - reached last season's NAIA National Championship second round.
REDSHIRTS IN 2017
Four Thomas players - Anna Felixson, Zombria Morrow, McKenzie Moritz, Tara Walsh - are redshirting this season. Felixson will have one season of eligibility remaining. Morrow will have three, while Moritz and Walsh will each have four.
INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
Orlowski's group is represented by five countries on this year's roster - the United States, Wales (Katy Hunt), England (Taylor, Gray, Hanscomb, Wiltshire), Sweden (Felixson, Roivas) and Ireland (Walsh).
