Texas State soccer earned its 25th home conference opener win in program history on Thursday night after dominating Marshall University 6-1 at Bobcat Soccer Complex.
Texas State set the tone of the game when senior forward Zoe Junior, scored the first goal 12 seconds into the match.
“Our girls came out just flying 100 miles an hour,” Texas State Head Coach Steve Holeman said. “We knew this was our [home] conference opener, and we wanted to perform at our best; I think we showed that tonight.”
The Bobcats got comfortable with possession in the first 10 minutes before getting caught on their back foot when a singular counter-attack by Marshall’s Brooklyn McComas found its way to the goal, tying the game 1-1.
Texas State continued with high pressure against Marshall, allowing sophomore midfielder Victoria Meza to open up for a shot and bury the ball, regaining the lead 2-1 for the Bobcats in the 28th minute.
Consistently finding their way to the box, the Bobcats drew a penalty kick against Marshall, where freshman forward Sydney Bassa stepped up to earn Texas State’s third goal in the 38th minute.
In the second half, Texas State continued to connect down the field until junior forward Mady Soumare sent a shot flying to the back post, deflected into the net by a Marshall defender, in the 49th minute, bringing the score to 4-1.
In a set piece just outside the 18-yard box, Texas State freshman midfielder, Helen Alormenu, got behind the ball for a direct shot that found its way to the top corner for the fifth goal in the 68th minute.
Barely a minute later, junior defender Marie Philipzen, curved a corner kick into the box where a Marshall defender’s clearance attempt instead awarded the Bobcats a final score of 6-1.
Texas State will attempt to win back-to-back games in its next match against The University of Southern Mississippi.
The Golden Eagles are coming off a 0-0 draw against South Alabama Wednesday night.
Kickoff between Texas State and Southern Miss is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at USM Track & Soccer Complex in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The game is available to stream on ESPN+.
