The Sam Houston women’s soccer team closed out a difficult week for SHSU athletics as it posted losses against Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana last weekend, extending its losing streak to eight games.
The match with Nicholls State, originally scheduled for Friday, was postponed until Saturday because of rain. Due to the inclement weather, the Kats were unable to practice until Saturday afternoon because of unsuitable conditions on the field. The weather cleared up for the game, but there were areas of standing water on the field during play.
“We played the game with the conditions (as they were) on the field, and it was not in good condition,” head coach Marcia Oliveira said. “The game was kind of ugly. There was a lot of mud, a lot of water, and we were not able to play a good soccer game.”
Oliveira said the field conditions made it difficult for the Kats to play their style of soccer, which revolves around ball control. The wet field led to sloppiness on the field for the Kats, which Nicholls State used to their advantage.
The Lady Colonels scored 13 minutes into the match. That would prove to be all NSU needed, as they held SHSU scoreless for the length of the game. NSU added another goal in the second half, ending the match with a 2-0 victory.
The Bearkats’ offensive struggles continued in Sunday’s match with Southeastern Louisiana, the top team in the Southland Conference. The Kats again failed to score a goal, for their third consecutive shutout and fifth in their last six matches.
Despite being held without a goal, Oliveira said she was pleased with how her team played against the top-ranked conference team.
“We played very well,” she said. “We kind of changed a few things in the starting lineup, and we had a good game.”
The Kats allowed two goals in the first half, and another on a penalty kick early in the second half for a 3-0 loss. The Kats fell to 3-11-0 on the season and are still winless in seven conference matches. SHSU occupies the eighth and last spot in the SLC. To make the conference tournament at the end of the season, the Kats must be one of the top six teams in the SLC, a prospect that has become bleaker in the midst of an eight-game losing streak.
The Kats take a break from the pressures of conference play on Wednesday as they host Grambling, of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Kats are 3-0 this season against SWAC opponents.