Ragin' Cajuns Face Georgia Southern In SBC Soccer

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Women's Soccer team opens the final month of the 2023 regular season on Thursday when it travels east to Statesboro, Ga., to face Georgia Southern in a Sun Belt Conference match at Eagle Field at Erk Park.

Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ with live stats available at CajunStats.com.

Louisiana (4-5-2, 1-3-0 SBC), which will host Southern Miss on Sunday in the annual Pink Game, looks to get back into the win column after dropping home matches against ULM and James Madison. The Ragin' Cajuns picked up a 1-0 victory against Old Dominion in their last road match on Sept. 21 and faces a Georgia Southern (5-5-0, 0-3-0 SBC) squad which claimed the 2022 SBC regular-season title but has dropped its last three matches.

Makenna Garcia, third among SBC goalkeepers in saves (54), has posted a 1.37 goals against average in 855 minutes of play on the pitch for Louisiana. Megan Bradley (3 goals) and Sisley Stephens (2 goals) lead the team in points scored at 7 and 5, respectively.

The meeting against the Eagles will be the eighth between the schools with Louisiana holding a 4-2-1 lead. The teams battled to a 1-1 draw in the last meeting in Statesboro in 2021.

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

MATCH INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (4-5-2, 1-3-0 SBC) at GEORGIA SOUTHERN (5-5-0, 0-3-0 SBC)
Date / Time: October 5, 2023/ 5 p.m. CT
Site: Statesboro, Ga.
Stadium: Eagle Field at Erk Park (Grass)

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Chris McBride
Record at Louisiana: 7-14-7 (second season); Overall Record: 38-56-22 (seventh season)

GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Head Coach: Chris Adams
Record at GS: 25-18-9 (fourth season); Overall Record: 224-116-37 (21^st season)

VIDEO/LIVE STATS/SOCIAL UPDATES
Live Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsSOC
Hashtag: #GeauxCajuns

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Louisiana leads, 4-2-1
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 2-1-0
In Statesboro: Louisiana leads, 2-1-1

CORNER KICKS
• Louisiana opens the final month of the regular season on Thursday when it travels east to face SBC rival Georgia Southern.
• The meeting with Georgia Southern is the eighth all time between the schools dating back to 2014 with Louisiana holding a 4-2-1 advantage.
• The Ragin' Cajuns look to get back on track offensively after scoring three goals during the month of September.
• Louisiana's three wins in the month of August tied the school record which was previously set in 2010 (3-1-0).
• Ten of Louisiana's 11 goals in 2023 have been scored by either freshmen or sophomore with nine scored by reserves.
• Eight players on the roster have scored at least one goal in 2023.
• Super Senior Karleen Bedre enters the season ranked in the top five in school history in matches played (87), matches started (80), points (56), goals (19), assists (18), match-winning goals (6) and penalty kicks made (2).
• Her appearance against Old Dominion on Sept. 21 was her 85th, breaking the school record (84) set by Courtney Hofland from 2006-10.
• Bedre's 80 career starts is currently tied with Hofland for the UL school-record.
• Bedre is second among active SBC players in goals (19), assists (18) and points (56).
• Makenna Garcia's 54 saves in 2023 is third overall in the Sun Belt Conference and 56th nationally.
• Garcia's four shutouts in 2023 is tied for fifth in school history.
• Garcia leads all SBC goalkeepers in saves (23) and saves per match (5.75) in league only play.
• Her 12 saves at Old Dominion are the most by a SBC goalkeeper in 2023.
• The Ragin' Cajuns opened with five of their first six regular-season matches on the road.
• Only four position players - Lauren Bennett (941), Hailly Waterhouse (846), Mariella Stephens (676) and Tatum Beck (605) - have played more than 600 minutes on the pitch through the first 11 matches.
• Megan Bradley's two goals at Florida International on Sept. 3 was the first multi-goal match of her career.

BY THE NUMBERS
1 – Goals needed by Karleen Bedre to become the fifth player in school history with 20+ goals in a career.
2 – Sets of sisters on the 2022 squad - Mariella and Sisley Stephens; Gabi and Sophie Placke.
5 – Total of Hat Tricks recorded in Ragin' Cajuns history.
8 – Players who have scored at least one goal in 2023.
9 – Goals scored by reserves in the 2023 season.
10 – Goals allowed in the second half by Louisiana on the season (out of 15 total).
10 – Goals scored for Louisiana in 2023 by either freshmen or sophomores.
20 – Number of players who have logged over 200-plus minutes during the 2023 season.
80 – Career matches started by Karleen Bedre, tying the school record set by Courtney Hofland (2006-10).

UP NEXT
• Louisiana returns home for its annual Pink Game on Sunday when it hosts Southern Miss in a 1 p.m. contest.

Ragin' Cajuns Face Georgia Southern In SBC Soccer

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Players Mentioned

Tatum Beck

Karleen Bedre

Lauren Bennett

Megan Bradley

Makenna Garcia

Sophie Placke

Mariella Stephens

Sisley Stephens

Hailly Waterhouse

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics