Louisiana Soccer Match 8 Preview: vs. Georgia State

LAFAYETTE – Back on the pitch for the first time since hosting then No. 7-ranked LSU, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Women's Soccer team opens Sun Belt Conference play on Thursday when it entertains Georgia State at the Ragin' Cajuns Track/Soccer Facility.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m., and will be available on ESPN+. Live results will be available at CajunStats.com. Admission to the match is free with all fans attending needed to park in Lot D on the west side of Cajun Field (entrance from Gates 1-2 on Bertrand Drive and Gate 3 on West Congress St. - see map below).

Facing its most grueling non-conference schedule in school history which featured a pair of nationally-ranked teams (Tennessee and LSU), two additional SEC opponents (Mississippi State and Kentucky) and American Athletic Conference member Houston, Louisiana (2-5-0) looks to apply its experience into SBC play where it opens league play for the fourth time overall against Georgia State (5-2-1).

The teams meet for the first time since a 2-0 GSU win on Oct. 18, 2019 in Atlanta with the Panthers leading the all-time series, 4-1-2.

Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsSOC), Instagram (@RaginCajuns_SOC) and Facebook (Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Soccer) or check RaginCajuns.com for Louisiana soccer updates.

MATCH INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (2-5-0) vs. GEORGIA STATE (5-2-1)
Date / Time: September 16, 2021 / 3 p.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Stadium: Ragin' Cajuns Track/Soccer Facility (grass)

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Lance Key (Trinity, 2000)
Record at Louisiana: 21-22-4 (Third season); Overall Record: 230-43-21 (15th season)

GEORGIA STATE
Head Coach: Ed Joyce (Erskine, 2007)
Record at GSU: 40-41-16 (sixth season); Overall Record: Same

VIDEO/LIVE STATS/SOCIAL UPDATES
Streaming Video: ESPN+
Talent: Blake Purser (pbp); Ian Auzenne (color)
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsSOC
Hashtag: #GeauxCajuns

WEATHER FORECAST (via Weather.com)
Thursday: Showers | High: 85° | Winds: ESE 7 mph | Rain: 70%
At kickoff: Light Rain | 83° | Wind: SW 5 mph | Rain: 60%

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Georgia State leads, 4-1-2
At Lafayette: Georgia State leads, 2-0-1
At Atlanta: Georgia State leads, 2-1-1
Last Meeting: Georgia State, 2-0 (October 18, 2019 at Atlanta)

SET PIECES
• Louisiana opens Sun Belt Conference play when it faces Georgia State at the Ragin' Cajuns Track/Soccer Facility.
• The meeting is the first between the schools since a 2-0 GSU win on Oct. 18, 2019 in Atlanta.
• In Sun Belt Conference openers, Louisiana is 5-12-4 overall.
• Louisiana is 0-2-1 in its last three SBC openers since a 2-1 overtime win at Arkansas State on Sept. 15, 2017.
• Louisiana has opened its SBC slate against Georgia State in 2013 (W), 2014 (L) and 2016 (T).
• Both Louisiana and Georgia State reached the semifinals at the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Championships.
• Louisiana has faced its most grueling non-conference schedule in school history during the 2021 season highlighted by four teams from the SEC (Mississippi State, Kentucky, Tennessee and LSU) and American Athletic Conference (Houston).
• Sixteen of the 31 members on the 2021 squad are in their first year with the Ragin' Cajuns.
• Twenty-one of Louisiana's 31 players on the 2021 roster are underclassmen (12 freshmen, 9 sophomores).
• Third-year head coach Lance Key entered the 2021 season third among active NCAA Division I coaches in winning percentage (.831), trailing North Carolina's Anson Dorrance (.902) and second-year coach Kristin Jones of UC San Diego (.849).
• Louisiana's crowd of 2,373 on Sept. 9 against No. 7-ranked LSU shattered the previous school record (663) set in 2002 and was the 13th-largest crowd for a NCAA Division I Women's Soccer match in 2021.
• With 11 career goals, Karleen Bedre is currently tied for ninth in school history and needs one to tie Ashley Delahoussaye (2000-03) for eighth.
• Bedre is tied with Sara Vienberg (2001-02) for fourth in school history with 10 assists and is eighth overall in points (32).

UP NEXT
• Louisiana opens a three-match road trip on Sunday when it ventures out of Sun Belt Conference play to face Alcorn State in a 3 p.m. contest in Lorman, Miss.
• The Ragin' Cajuns will continue their road trip next week with matches at Troy (Sept. 24) and South Alabama (Sept. 26) before returning home to face Arkansas State on Oct. 3.

PARKING INFORMATION
• Due to Louisiana's home football game against Ohio on Thursday at 7 p.m., all fans, staff and student athletes attending the soccer match need to park in Lot D (gravel lot) on the west side of Cajun Field.
• Fans can enter the complex through Gates 1 & 2 (Bertrand Drive) and Gate 3 (eastbound on Congress Drive) and proceed to Lot D.
• Reinhardt Drive will close to vehicular traffic at 4:20 p.m.

Soccer Parking - Georgia State

Louisiana Soccer Match 8 Preview: vs. Georgia State

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Players Mentioned

Karleen Bedre

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