THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Fresh off a 14-day layoff, Thomas welcomes NCAA Division II opponent Albany State (Ga.) to TU Soccer Complex on Saturday. Kickoff for the Night Hawks' first home match this season is set for 2 p.m. ET.

Admission to the match is free.

In addition to live stats, the match will be televised online through Stretch Internet. Live updates will also be available on Thomas' official women's soccer Twitter account (@NightHawksWSocc).

The Thomas University Student Life and Campus Activities Board will host Rally Day starting at 1:30 p.m. The first 25 Thomas fans inside the gate at TU Soccer Complex will receive a complimentary TU Student Life t-shirt.

Game 4/Albany State (0-2) at Thomas (2-0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 9 • 2 p.m. ET
Thomasville, Ga. • TU Soccer Complex
Promotion: Rally Day
TV: Stretch Internet
Live Stats: Stretch Internet
Twitter Updates: @NightHawksWSocc

ABOUT THOMAS

Thomas is coming off a 4-0 win at Point (Ga.) on Aug. 26 in the final game of the Jenna Paige Bragg Memorial Classic. The Night Hawks have two shutouts in their first three matches.

"We work really hard during practice," Thomas' Jen Clyde said. "Julie (Orlowski) teaches us a lot about shifting, moving forward and picking up players. I think we do very well at retaining that information and putting it into effect on the field. Our back line communicates really well. It starts on the back row with Kara (Houston) or Sierra (Robinson) because they see the field better than we do, and from there, we communicate well because of great chemistry.

"Obviously what also helps make us successful on the defensive end is our offense scoring goals, and they do a great job of that. They also do a great job of helping us defend by moving off the ball and splitting the field in half to condense it." 

Whitley Anderson scored the first two goals for the Night Hawks. Olivia Taylor tied a career-high with three assists.

Following a scoreless first 45 minutes, Thomas' offensive barrage began less than two minutes after halftime. Taylor found Linnea Roivas, whose shot attempt hit the right post, but Anderson was in position for the rebound and put the ball in the back of the net. Anderson knocked in a free kick by Taylor in the 55th minute to make the score 2-0.

Taylor Hults' first collegiate goal in the 63rd minute put the Green and White up a field goal. Taylor's third assist on the night came in the 66th minute on a score by Anna Gray.

The Night Hawks' second-half onslaught included outshooting the home team 13-2 in the period and 20-7 overall. Thomas totaled seven corner kicks in the match compared to just one by Point.

The Night Hawks were also helped by five Skyhawk cautions, including a red card to Tatiana Gonzalez in the 59th minute that put coach Julie Orlowski's team up a player for the final 31:48.

Hults totaled three shots on goal, while four Thomas players had two apiece.

Goalkeepers Kara Houston and Sierra Robinson combined for the clean sheet. Houston started the match, making two saves in 73:36 before giving way to Robinson for the final 16:24.

"If you don't have a good defense on your team, then you can't win games," Robinson commented. "You can score all the goals in the world, but if you can't keep goals out of your own end, then it doesn't matter. Our back line listens really well because goalkeepers are supposed to tell them where to shift, where to go and be their eyes for them. Midfield retreats back, and they do a good job of that. We want to keep opposing teams to one side of the field and not let them have free range, especially in the center."

ABOUT ALBANY STATE

Albany State has lost its first two matches this season each by a score of 6-0 to Albany State (Ga.) Sept. 1 and West Florida Sept. 6.

Against West Florida, the Lady Golden Rams were outshot 36-3, including 20-0 in the first half. West Florida held an edge in corner kicks, 26-1. 

Albany State goalkeeper Abby Whiteside made four saves in the match and has faced 64 total shots in the first two matches.

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.

HOUSTON, THEY HAVE A PROBLEM

Houston was named The Sun Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 28 for the first time in her career after allowing only one goal in two matches during that week. The junior ranks 18th in the country in fewest goals against per game (0.3).

ENDING SKIDS

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.). 

HOME SWEET HOME

Thomas has won three of its last four home openers and four of its last six overall at TU Soccer Complex. 

BY THE NUMBERS

53: Taylor has started 53-straight matches dating back to 2014.

21: Twenty-one Thomas players have seen action in the first three matches.

7: Coach Julie Orlowski is seven wins shy of 50 during her time on the Magnolia Campus.

6: Six different Night Hawks have scored the team's eight goals. 

5: Orlowski is five wins shy of 175 for her career.

5: A total of 25 student-athletes on the roster hail from five different states and as many countries.

AMONG THE BEST IN THE NAIA

Thomas ranks 16th in the NAIA in assists per game (3.0), 20th in shutouts (2) and 49th in goals per game (2.7).

Individually, Anderson is third in the country in game winning goals (2) and 44th in goals per game (1.0). Taylor ranks 13th in assists per game (1.0). Houston is 18th in the country in fewest goals against per game (0.3). 

TOP 25 OPPONENTS

Orlowski's team faces four programs ranked in the latest NAIA Top 25: No. 7 William Carey (Miss.), No. 8 Keiser (Fla.), No. 11 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 15 Southeastern (Fla.).

OPPONENTS THAT MADE 2016 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The Night Hawks face three opponents - Keiser, William Carey and Mobile - that reached last season's NAIA National Championship second round.

INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE

Orlowski's group is represented by five countries on this year's roster - the United States, Wales (Katy Hunt), England (Taylor, Gray, Rebekah Wiltshire, Katy Hanscomb), Sweden (Roivas, Anna Felixson) and Ireland (Tara Walsh).