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BOONE, N.C. - The Mountaineers close out non-conference play, Thursday, as they welcome Radford to the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex. It's Pups at the Pitch night, and the first 100 dogs in attendance will take home custom App State dog tags. First touch is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+.ABOUT APP STATE: App State (1-3-3) is coming off a 2-1 loss on the road to the College of Charleston on Sunday. Stephanie Barbosa tied the score at 1-1 with a leaping header in the opening half, but the Cougars responded moments later and carried a 2-1 lead to the finish line. App State finished the match with 12 shots (six on net), led by Anna Kate Highsmith who came off the bench to put all three of her shots on goal. Izzi Wood leads the team in goals (2), and shots (16) this season. Breckyn Monteith, who led the team with 10 goals a season ago, has placed five shots on net this year, including three against ETSU on Thursday. Goalkeeper Kerry Eagleston has already posted three shutouts this season, and holds a 1.29 goal-against-average and a .769 save percentage.
ABOUT RADFORD: The Highlanders (4-1-2) have gone six consecutive matches without a loss, including a 2-0 victory over Western Carolina on Saturday. Alexeis Kirnos scored both goals for the Highlanders, and was subsequently named the Big South Offensive Player of the Week. Amy Swain leads the quad with four goals and three assists on the year, while Kat Parris has also added two goals and three assists. Jordan Phillips has started five matches in goal this season, posting a goals-against-average of 1.00 and a save percentage of .750.
SERIES HISTORY: The Mountaineers and Highlanders 13 times in program history, with the Highlanders holding an 8-5 advantage. Most recently the two teams faced off in 2019, when Radford came away with a 3-0 victory on their home turf. Radford got on the board with two goals in a 74-second span in the opening half of the contest.
BARBOSA FINDS TWINE: Sophomore Stephanie Barbosa read a one-hop cross, leapt in the air to meet it, and headed it into the back of the net, Sunday, at the College of Charleston. The goal was the first of her career. Barbosa has played at least 40 minutes off the bench in every game this season. In her last three outings she has taken three shots, all of which have been on target.
SUPER STUDER: An early enrollee last spring, freshman Shannon Studer has made an instant impact for the Mountaineers along the back line. Studer has started seven of the team's first eight games this season, and ranks third among field players in minutes played. She has assisted on two of the team's first four goals this season, accounting for the team's only two assists.
IZZI RETURNS: After missing the 2021 season due to injury, junior Izzi Wood has wasted no time making an impact in 2022. Against ETSU on Thursday, Wood calmly buried a penalty kick in the 53rd minute to tie the match at 1-1. In the Mountaineers first win of the season, against UT Martin on August 25, Wood tallied the game-winning goal against UT Martin, intercepting a pass deep in Skyhawk territory. Wood also recorded a two-goal game in a scrimmage against UNC Asheville. She leads the team with two goals and 14 shots through six games this season.
BETWEEN THE PIPES: Senior goalkeeper Kerry Eagleston has been a mainstay between the pipes for the Mountaineers, playing and starting in 61 games across four seasons. Eagleston is tied atop the Sun Belt in saves (30), while ranking tied for second in shutouts (3), and fifth in save percentage (.769). Last season, Eagleston led the Sun Belt with 113 saves, while also ranking tied for second in shutouts (3), fifth in save percentage (.813), and tenth in goals against average (1.37). She recorded double-digit saves three times, including a career-high 20 saves against Wake Forest, the second-most in a match in program history.
THE KERRY COUNTER:
Career Shutouts:
1. 24, Breland Meany...................................................2001-2004
2. 21, Caroline Clarke................................................. 2007-2010
3. 15, Kerry Eagleston ..............................................2019-present
4. 14, Megan Roebrson ...............................................2012-2015
Career Saves:
1. 375 Kelley Guinn ..................................................... 1994-1996
2. 369 Breland Meany...................................................2001-2004
3. 319 Caroline Clarke.................................................. 2007-2010
4. 289 Kerry Eagleston................................................2019-present
HAYWOOD AT THE HELM: Aimee Haywood was announced as the fifth head coach in App State soccer history when she was hired in December. Haywood joins the Black and Gold following a two-year stint at Queens University where she helped the Royals to a 16-5-1 record last season on their way to the second round of the Division II NCAA tournament. Haywood went 23-7-2 in two seasons at Queens. Prior to that she spent four years leading her alma mater, Ohio Dominican, where she complied a 44-25-10 record. In 2017 she led the Panthers to a program-record 16-win season that culminated with their first Division II NCAA tournament win.
SCORELESS DRAWS: Following a 0-0 draw at George Mason, the Mountaineers have now posted three scoreless draws on the season, the most since 2010 when they recorded four on the year. They finished that season with five draws overall, the most in program history.
The Mountaineers opened the season with back-to-back scoreless draws, against Liberty and USC Upstate. Previously, the last scoreless draw involving App State came October 1, 2020 against The Citadel. The last time the Mountaineers posted scoreless draws in consecutive games was October 18 and 20 of 2013 when they did so against Wofford and Furman respectively. All scoreless draws prior to this season included overtime, which has since been eliminated from regular season contests.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG: The Mountaineers impressed in the spring season posting wins over UNCG, Radford, and High Point. Their lone loss in the spring came to South Carolina, which had made it to the elite eight in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Five different players combined to score seven goals in the spring slate.
UP NEXT: App State continues their three-match homestand by opening conference play against ULM, Sunday at 11 a.m. at Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex. It's Alumni Day, and all former Mountaineer soccer players are invited to The Valley for a pregame breakfast and will be recognized at halftime. It's also National Cheeseburger Day, and all App State students will get free cheeseburgers, while supplies last.
