THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Thomas begins The Sun Conference (TSC) action at Saint Thomas (Fla.) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.
"Coach (Orlowski) has had us working even harder this week," said Katy Hunt, who made her first two starts for the Night Hawks in the last two games. "We're here for a purpose. We want to win conference. We have a great opportunity to do that because we have a lot of talent on this squad, and we all work hard for each other, but we're going to have to keep on top of our stuff at all times."
In addition to live stats, the match will be televised online through Stretch Internet. Updates will also be available on Thomas' official women's soccer Twitter account (@NightHawksWSocc).
"We have done a good job of working for each other," said Carolina Ochoa, who like Hunt made her first two starts in a Green and White uniform in the last two matches. "The focus has been there throughout this week of practice. This team is well-put together and has a lot of talent if we play up to it."
Game 7/Thomas (3-2-1, 0-0 TSC) at Saint Thomas (4-0-1, 1-0 TSC)
Saturday, Sept. 23 • 1 p.m. ET
Miami Gardens, Fla. • STU Soccer Field
TV: Stretch Internet
Live Stats: Stretch Internet
Twitter Updates: @NightHawksWSocc
ABOUT THOMAS
The Night Hawks are coming off a 3-0 loss at then-No. 12 Mobile (Ala.) on Sept. 16 in the final game of the second annual The Sun Conference/Southern States Challenge.
"The best thing about playing high ranked and very talented teams is that we get to see where our pros and cons are and the things we need to work on," Thomas' Kaleigh Premo said. "We came up against some great speed, but it was good to have that challenge before we play Saint Thomas because they have a lot of speed, especially in the midfield, and now we're going to know how to handle it in a conference game where it matters most.
"I think we're extremely versatile, and the best thing is that everyone is willing to try whatever position they're thrown in. It shows our team has a lot of skill and talent. We have to fight until the end."
After a lightning delay stalled kickoff by two hours, Mobile broke a scoreless tie in the 25th minute before adding goals in the 82nd and 86th minutes.
Olivia Taylor, Taylor Hults and Kayla Folse each had a shot on goal for Thomas, which was minus two starters for a second-straight game due to illness.
Kara Houston made four saves in net for the Green and White.
ABOUT SAINT THOMAS
The Bobcats opened league play on Wednesday with a 1-0 win at Johnson & Wales (Fla.) on Wednesday.
Eva Castano Candela scored the game's lone goal in the 56th minute.
Saint Thomas goalie Cristina Garwacki played all 90 minutes and recorded four saves to earn her third shutout of the season and 15th of her career. The Bobcats have not allowed a goal in 280 minutes.
Saint Thomas outshot Johnson & Wales 25-12.
The Bobcats have outscored their opponents 16-2 on the season.
Saint Thomas ranks seventh in the NAIA in shots per game (24.2), 34th in goals per game (3.2), 36th in shutouts (3), 38th in assists per game (2.0) and 48th in shots on goal per game (10.2).
Jannel Johnson is third in the country in shots per game (7.4), 24th in goals per game (1.2), 31st in points per game (2.6) and 38th in shots on goal per game (2.8). Garwacki is seventh in fewest goals allowed per match (0.2).
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE BOBCATS
No. 6-seed Saint Thomas defeated No. 3-seed Thomas, 2-0, at TU Soccer Complex on Nov. 5, 2016, in the quarterfinals of The Sun Conference Tournament.
Sarah Thomsson netted the first of two goals in the 34th minute from 25 yards out with an assist from Ana Parra.
Thomsson netted an insurance goal in the 68th minute from 45 yards away.
Milene Anstett and Rebekah Wiltshire each had one shot on goal for the Green and White.
Houston collected five saves for the Night Hawks.
THOMAS IN 19TH SEASON
The 2017 campaign marks the 19th in the history of Thomas women's soccer.
The Night Hawks reached the NAIA National Championship once in 2003, going 1-1.
Thomas has been a member of The Sun Conference since 2012 and is 31-16 in league play. The Night Hawks reached The Sun Conference Tournament championship in 2015.
STARTING STRONG
Thomas is 5-0 in TSC openers, including a win over the Bobcats in 2014. The Night Hawks have outscored their opponents a combined 17-2 in those matches.
LOOKING TO END A SKID
Thomas is looking to end a three-match losing streak to Saint Thomas. The Night Hawks last defeated the Bobcats, 2-1, in overtime on the road on Sept. 26, 2014.
Thomas ended a four-match losing streak in season openers with a 3-0 victory at Columbia (S.C.) on Aug. 19. The Night Hawks ended a five-match losing streak in neutral site games following a 1-1 tie with Truett McConnell (Ga.) on Aug. 24 at Point (Ga.).
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Thomas has outscored its opponents this season 17-8.
TAYLOR'S LEAGUE HONOR
Taylor was named The Sun Conference Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week on Monday for the second time in her career.
Taylor had a five-point showing against then-No. 7 William Carey (Miss.) on Sept. 14, knocking in two goals before assisting on the team's third by Whitley Anderson.
Taylor is the second Night Hawk to earn a weekly league award after Houston nabbed the Defensive Player of the Week title Aug. 28.
HEATING UP
In three of the last four matches, Taylor has scored at least one point, while Anderson has tallied at least one goal.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Night Hawks' shutout streak of 279:59 which ended Sept. 14 against the Crusaders spanned four games.
ONE OR LESS
Thomas is unbeaten (6-0-1) in its last seven matches when allowing one goal or less.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Night Hawks are 7-3-1 in their last 11 matches outside Thomasville, including 3-1 in their last four conference road games.
BY THE NUMBERS
56: Taylor has started 56-straight matches dating back to 2014.
24: Linnea Roivas has started 24-straight games in the last two seasons.
21: Twenty-one Thomas players have played in at least two matches this season.
8: Eight different Night Hawks have scored the team's 17 goals.
7: Seven Night Hawks - Taylor, Houston, Roivas, Wiltshire, Anna Gray, Ciera McGriff-Duncan, Katy Hanscomb - have started every match in 2017.
6: Coach Julie Orlowski is six wins shy of 50 during her time on the Magnolia Campus.
5: A total of 25 student-athletes on the roster hail from five different states and as many countries.
4: Orlowski is four wins shy of 175 for her career, and Houston has posted four shutouts in the last two seasons.
3: Houston and Sierra Robinson have combined for three shutouts in the last two seasons.
AMONG THE BEST IN THE NAIA
Thomas ranks 36th in the NAIA in shutouts (3) and 38th in assists per game (2.0).
Taylor is 12th nationally in assists (5). Anderson ranks 23rd in game-winning goals (2).
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Orlowski's team faces four programs ranked in the latest NAIA Top 25: No. 6 William Carey (Miss.), No. 8 Keiser (Fla.), No. 9 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 14 Southeastern (Fla.). The Night Hawks are 0-2 against the top 25 this season, having lost to then-No. 7 William Carey and at then-No. 12 Mobile.
The Night Hawks face three opponents - Keiser, William Carey and Mobile - that reached last season's NAIA National Championship second round.
WHAT'S IN A NAME
Orlowski's group has won two of the last three matches against opponents that begin with the letter "s."
INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
Orlowski's group is represented by five countries on this year's roster - the United States, Wales (Hunt), England (Taylor, Gray, Wiltshire, Hanscomb), Sweden (Roivas, Anna Felixson) and Ireland (Tara Walsh).
