(PHOTO/Joshua Thurston)
Caleb Odom
Sports Editor
The Trojan soccer team (8-9-1) wrapped up regular season play with a 0-0 draw on the road against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday, Oct. 27.
Troy is the No. 5 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Championship hosted in San Marcos, Texas and is set to face the No. 4 seed and tournament host Texas State on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m.
“I think we have lined ourselves up probably in a very good scenario to move forward,” Troy Head Coach Chris Bentley said. “Everyone is excited about what is next.”
The challenge is taking down a Texas State team that already got the best of the Trojans with a 2-1 victory in Troy on Sept. 29.
“I think the key to it is we have to go in with the mindset that the season is on the line,” Bentley said. “We are at their place under the lights and you know that there is a lot of drama that’s associated with that.”
If Troy can take down the Bobcats it will face the winner of the UALR Western Kentucky match played earlier in the day.
The Trojan’s nil-to-nil draw on Sunday capped a regular season full of accomplishments leading into a postseason full of possibility.
“It was disappointing to leave with that, but on the same side of things, finishing in a tie for fourth is a new program record which we’re proud of,” Bentley said.
Part of the reason that Troy shut out the Ragin’ Cajuns on the road was some solid goalkeeping by Maddie Winter, who made nine saves in the match.
“I think she had an all-conference performance,” Bentley said. “She positioned herself well. They weren’t dramatic saves, but they were position saves. She kept us in the game.”
For Bentley and his team, the Texas State game is the only focus because it is win or go home.
“The good news is we have the chance to right our wrongs,” Bentley said. “We get Texas State first round, which is a team that we felt that we didn’t play well against.”
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