Cajuns Wrap Up SBC Road Trip Against ODU

NORFOLK, Va. – With a stretch of playing six of its first eight matches on the road, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Women's Soccer team wraps up a two-match Sun Belt Conference slate away from home on Thursday when it faces defending league tournament champion Old Dominion at the ODU Soccer Stadium.

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

Louisiana (3-3-2, 0-1-0 SBC) opened SBC play last Sunday at Texas State, dropping a 3-0 contest with all three goals coming in the second half. The match against ODU (6-0-2, 1-0-0 SBC), the national co-leader in goals against average (0.125), is Louisiana's first-ever to be played in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

A youthful Louisiana roster has accounted for all 10 goals scored this season with sophomore Megan Bradley leading the team with three goals and seven points. Sophomore Sisley Stephens is next in scoring with five points (2 goals, 1 assist) with sophomores Emma Bates and Briana Henry, plus freshmen Bailey Giddings, Sophie Placke and Anneliese Switzer each recording one goal on the season.

Makenna Garcia has been one of the top goalkeepers in the SBC ranking sixth overall in saves (35) while ranking 10^th in goals against average (1.29).

ODU has pitched a clean sheet in seven of its eight matches on the season while outscoring its opposition, 13-1. Thalia Morosi, Anna Torslov and Ece Turkoglu have scored multiple goals for the Monarchs with Madison Micheletti dishing out a pair of assists.

Emily Dredek has allowed the team's lone goal of the season in 697 minutes on the pitch while facing 53 shots on the season with 19 saves.

After facing ODU, Louisiana will return home on Sunday for a 1 p.m. match against ULM for Alumni Weekend.

Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

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 (3-3-2, 0-1-0 SBC) at OLD DOMINION (6-0-2, 1-0-0 SBC)
Date / Time: September 21, 2023/ 5 p.m. CT
Site: Norfolk, Va.
Stadium: ODU Soccer Stadium (Grass)

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Chris McBride
Record at Louisiana: 6-12-7 (second season); Overall Record: 37-54-22 (seventh season)

OLD DOMINION
Head Coach: Angie Hind
Record at ODU: 78-68-26 (10^th season); Overall Record: 132-106-34 (16^th season)

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

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: ODU leads, 1-0-0
At Lafayette: ODU leads, 1-0-0
At Norfolk: First meeting
Streak: ODU +1

SET PIECES
• Louisiana closes out a two-match road trip to open Sun Belt Conference play when it visits Old Dominion at the ODU Soccer Stadium.
• Louisiana plays its first-ever match in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• ODU claimed last year's inaugural meeting between the schools, 1-0, on Megan Watts' penalty kick goal in the 11^th minute.
• Louisiana's three wins in the month of August tied the school record which was previously set in 2010 (3-1-0).
• Nine of Louisiana's 10 goals in 2023 have been scored by reserves.
• The Ragin' Cajuns opened with five of their first six regular-season matches on the road.
• Louisiana returns 17 players from the 2022 roster and eight starters for second-year coach Chris McBride.
• Before being named the fourth head coach in school history in February of 2022, McBride spent five seasons at in-state program Southeastern Louisiana where he guided the Lady Lions to an NCAA Regional berth.
• Super Senior Karleen Bedre enters the season ranked in the top five in school history in matches played (84), matches started (78), points (56), goals (19), assists (18), match-winning goals (6) and penalty kicks made (2).
• With an appearance tonight, Bedre will play in her 85th career contest, breaking the school record set by Courtney Hofland (2006-10).
• Bedre's 78 career starts is two shy of tying Hofland's school-record.
• Megan Bradley's two goals at Florida International on Sept. 3 was the first multi-goal match of her career.
• Makenna Garcia's 35 saves in 2023 is sixth overall in the Sun Belt Conference and 82nd nationally.
• Six players - Tatum Beck, Mariella Stephens, Hailly Waterhouse, Alyssa Abbott, Lauren Bennett and Makenna Garcia - have started in all eight matches for Louisiana.
• Only two position players - Hailly Waterhouse (679) and Lauren Bennett (671) - have played more than 500 minutes on the pitch through the first eight matches.

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.
3 - Points by Karleen Bedre to tie Annika Schmidt (59, 2013-16) for second in school history.
5 - Assists needed by Karleen Bedre to tie Ashleigh Cade (23, 2014-17) for the most in school history.
5 – Total of Hat Tricks recorded in Ragin' Cajuns history.
7 - Players who have scored at least one goal in 2023.
8 – Goals allowed in the second half by Louisiana on the season (out of 10 total).
9 - Goals scored by reserves in the 2023 season.
11 – Number of scoreless draws recorded in school history.
12 - Points needed by Karleen Bedre to pass Yazmin Montoya (67, 2013-16) for first place.
17 – States which Louisiana has competed in (includes Thursday's match at ODU).
19 – Number of players who have logged over 200-plus minutes during the 2023 season.
84 - Career matches played by Karleen Bedre, tying the school record set by Courtney Hofland (2006-10).

UP NEXT
• Louisiana returns home for its next two matches beginning on Sunday (Sept. 24) when it faces in-state opponent ULM at the Home Bank Track & Soccer Complex.
• The Ragin' Cajuns will wrap up their two-match homestand on in a Saturday match on Sept. 30 hosting James Madison.

Cajuns Wrap Up SBC Road Trip Against ODU

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Players Mentioned

Alyssa Abbott

Emma Bates

Tatum Beck

Karleen Bedre

Lauren Bennett

Megan Bradley

Makenna Garcia

Bailey Giddings

Briana Henry

Sophie Placke

Mariella Stephens

Sisley Stephens

Anneliese Switzer

Hailly Waterhouse

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