App State Hosts Troy to Open Sun Belt Play

OPENING KICK: App State kicks off conference play on Sunday, as they welcome the Troy Trojans to The Valley with kickoff set for 1 p.m. It's alumni day in Boone, featuring a pre-game brunch and an on-field ceremony at halftime. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
APP STATE LAST TIME OUT: App State dropped their final non-conference match of the season, 2-0 against Liberty on Thursday. The Flames, who entered the match receiving votes in this week's top-25 poll, while holding the nation's longest unbeaten streak. Both Liberty goals came off failed App State clears, with the first coming off a corner kick in the 30^th minute, and the second coming off a free kick in the 61^st minute. Izzi Wood led the Mountaineers with three shots, including two shots on goal. Freshmen Summer Bowman and Olivia Simon also each tallied a shot on the evening. App State was without starting centerback Skyler Walk, who drew two yellow cards against Radford the match prior.
 
ABOUT TROY: The Trojans are off to a 5-3 start to the season, but have lost each of their last two times out. On Sunday, Troy fell at North Florida, 2-1, and last Thursday they lost at home to Samford, 1-0. Offensively the Trojans are led by Gabrielle Chartier who has scored four goals and added on assist this season. Delaney Wells and Dolce VIllaflor have also tallied two goals apiece. Rubie Kelley has started seven of the eight matches in goal, posting a 1.02 goals-against average and a .759 save percentage. Troy is led by first-year head coach Stuart Gore, who took over a program that went just 1-6-3 in the Sun Belt last year. The Trojans were picked last in the Sun Belt preseason poll this season.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Sunday's meeting with mark the 10^th all-time matchup between the Mountaineers and Trojans, with App State holding a narrow 5-4 advantage. Most recently the Trojans won 1-0 in 2021 in Troy, Ala. Sarah Widderich led the way with four shots and two on target for the Mountaineers.
 
LAST ONE, BEST ONE: After enrolling in an accelerated associate's program in high school, Stephanie Barbosa will graduate this season after just three years in college. She is off to a fantastic start this season leading the team in scoring, after recording her fourth goal of the season against Radford. Barbosa is now tied for fifth in the Sun Belt in scoring, and sixth in points with nine on the year. She registered her first career brace against George Mason August 20, and scoring against UT Martin on August 24. Barbosa had scored just one career goal in her first 39 career games.
 
BETWEEN THE PIPES: Fifth year goalkeeper Kerry Eagleston has been a mainstay between the pipes for the Mountaineers, playing and starting in 80 games across five seasons. Following four consecutive shutouts earlier this season, Eagleston is tied for second place on the program's career shutout list, with 21, and ranks second in program history in career saves with 374. Last season she led the Sun Belt in saves (93), while ranking third in save percentage (.809), fifth in shutouts (6), and seventh in goals against average (1.166).
 
THE KERRY COUNTER:
Career Shutouts:
1. 24, Breland Meany...................................................2001-2004
T2.21, Kerry Eagleston ..............................................2019-present
      21, Caroline Clarke................................................. 2007-2010
4. 14, Megan Roebrson ...............................................2012-2015
 
Career Saves:
1. 375 Kelley Guinn ..................................................... 1994-1996
2. 374 Kerry Eagleston...............................................2019-present
3. 369 Breland Meany...................................................2001-2004
4. 319 Caroline Clarke.................................................. 2007-2010
 
INCREDIBLE IZZI: After leading the Mountaineers with six goals in 2022, Izzi Wood is off to another hot start this season, scoring three times in the team's first six games of the year. Wood has tested opposing goalkeepers early and often this season, leading the Sun Belt with 31 shots, while ranking tied for 6^th with 13 shots on target. Her three goals are tied for ninth in the conference.

UP NEXT: App State will hit the road for the first time in conference play as they travel to Coastal Carolina for a matchup in Conway, Wednesday at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.