App State Soccer Hosts Marshall Sunday for Alumni Day

OPENING KICK: With three video games remaining within the 2025 common season, App State Soccer returns house for a essential East Division matchup with Marshall, Sunday at 1 p.m. App State enters the matchup three factors behind the Herd within the standings, with solely the highest eight groups within the Sun Belt qualifying for the convention match. The crew will honor its alumni in a halftime ceremony as a part of the Homecoming weekend festivities. The match might be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS: App State enters the match 5-6-3 on the season and 1-3-3 in Sun Belt play following a 3-2 loss at ULM final Saturday. Going in opposition to a Warhawks crew with the longest unbeaten streak within the convention, the Mountaineers scored the game-tying aim within the 82nd minute of play, however ULM was in a position to put away the game-winning tally two minutes later. The Mountaineers have a positive schedule down the stretch with their three remaining opponents posting a mixed 3-12-6 report in Sun Belt play this season. App State is led by graduate ahead Izzi Wood who’s tied for the App State program report for profession targets after netting her thirtieth profession tally at Coastal Carolina on Oct. 2 for her fourth aim of the season. Ellie Garrison additionally has scored 4 targets this season, whereas Kyli Switalski and Olivia Simon have netted three targets apiece. The protection is anchored by freshman Maddie Williams who has began all 14 video games for the Mountaineers and has performed all 90 minutes a team-high 12 instances. App State has posted back-to-back profitable seasons in Sun Belt play and seven-plus win seasons general.
 
SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD: Marshall enters Sunday’s matchup with a report of 6-4-3 general and 2-3-2 in Sun Belt play. The Thundering Herd have performed back-to-back scoreless attracts, at house in opposition to Old Dominion on Oct. 5 and at South Alabama on Oct. 10. Senior Bailey Fisher leads the crew with seven targets on the season, whereas sophomore Fernanda Dantas has supplied the crew with eight helpers. Sophomore Emma Durand has began a team-high 10 video games in aim this season, together with every of the final three contests, and owns a 1.23 goals-against common and 4 shutouts on the 12 months. Marshall was picked to complete tenth within the Sun Belt preseason ballot and are beneath the course of second-year head coach Rafa Simoes.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Sunday will mark the ninth all-time assembly between the Mountaineers and the Herd. Marshall leads the sequence 5-1-2. Last season the 2 groups performed to a 1-1 attract Huntington. When Marshall final visited Boone in 2023, the Mountaineers posted their most dominant win of the Aimee Haywood period, defeating Marshall 5-1 behind a hat-trick from Olivia Simon.
 
RISING TO THE OCCASION: Some of the Mountaineers’ most full efforts this season have come in opposition to its highest high quality opposition. According to the Massey Ratings, App State is 2-1-2 this season in opposition to its 5 top-100 ranked opponents, together with wins over Miami (77) and South Alabama (106) and a attracts in opposition to James Madison (72) and Old Dominion (78). App State entered the week ranked 118 in RPI, which ranks eighth out of 14 groups within the Sun Belt. App State is 1-1-3 in opposition to the convention groups ranked forward of them in RPI. Marshall is ranked 114th.

SIMON SAYS: Junior midfielder Olivia Simon has scored a aim in back-to-back video games for the Mountaineers to provide her three tallies on the season. Simon has now totaled 9 targets and two assists in three seasons for App State. Simon’s first profession aim got here in opposition to Marshall in 2023 as a part of a second-half hat-trick in opposition to the Thundering Herd. Simon turned one in every of 12 freshmen within the nation to report a hat-trick that season and the primary App State participant to report a three-goal match since 2014.

 

ANCHORED BY MADDIE: Freshman Maddie Williams has been the anchor of the App State protection in her first season in Boone. The native of Birmingham, England joined the crew as an early enrollee within the spring, and she or he is one in every of 5 gamers to play and begin all 14 video games this season. Williams leads the Mountaineers with 1,235 minutes performed this season, together with a team-high 12 90-minute efforts. She has led the again line to 3 shutouts this season.

 

UP NEXT: App State will play its remaining street contest of the season in opposition to Southern Miss on Friday, Oct. 24. Kickoff from Hattiesburg, Miss. is ready for 4 p.m. ET and the sport might be broadcast on ESPN+. The Golden Eagles are 1-6 in Sun Belt play and go to Texas State on Saturday.