Michael Shipma
Staff Writer
The Troy soccer team set new records this weekend, as it defeated Georgia State 1-0 and Georgia Southern 3-0 at home. With 12 wins this season, the Trojans (12-5, 4-3 Sun Belt) have won more games than any other Troy soccer team since the team’s first season in 1997. Also, the Trojans have now won 12 straight home games, dating back to the 2013 season.
Troy’s first game of the weekend on Friday, Oct. 17, against the Georgia State Panthers was a fight from start to finish. The Panthers (5-8-4, 3-3-1 Sun Belt) were able to hold the Trojans to just four shots in the first period, and frustrated any attempts at scoring for the majority of the game.
The match remained a battle of the defenses until early in the second half, when sophomore forward Annabell Simpson scored her second goal of the season, putting Troy on the board in the 61st minute. Fortunately, it was all the Trojans would need to hold off the Panthers and get back to .500 in the Sun Belt standings.
Troy carried this home momentum into its match against Georgia Southern on Sunday, Oct. 19, for Troy’s senior night. Troy seniors Paige McMillan, Georgia Wallis, Jane Latif and Kailaini Decock were all honored before the match.
Troy came out slow in the first half, and was unable to get much offense going. Fortunately for the Trojans, Georgia Southern (9-5-1, 4-3 Sun Belt) was also unable to do much against Troy’s reliable defense. The game remained tied at zero through halftime, and it appeared to be a toss-up as to who would pull away in the second half.
The Trojans, particularly the offense, would step up in a big way in the second half, and were able to get 15 shots in the second half, three of which would go in.
Junior midfielder Louise Cheng would put Troy on the board in the 52nd minute with a free kick from 25 yards that hit the back of the net. Later, in the 69th minute, star junior midfielder Alissa Jones scored her 17th career goal off a pass from Simpson to put Troy up 2-0.
But Troy wasn’t finished, and after being fouled in the box in the 74th minute, junior forward Chelsey Williams drilled home the penalty kick to give Troy the 3-0 victory. The goal was Williams’ 23rd of her career, tying her with Jill Pinder for the all-time Troy record.
“We came out and executed as well as we could in the second half, much better offensively and solid defensively,” said head coach Jason Hamilton. “We didn’t give them any looks at all in the final third, and that’s all you can ask for from your team.”
Troy travels on the road to play against UALR on Friday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. and then the team will play Arkansas State on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. to finish the regular season.
