The Matchup: Towson (7-4-2, 2-2-0 CAA) vs. James Madison (4-7-1, 1-2-0 CAA)
Place: Tiger Field – Towson, Md.
Date/Time: Thursday, October 14, 7 p.m.
Broadcast: FloSports ($)
Live Stats: towsontigers.com
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's soccer team will come back to Tiger Field for a pair of games, beginning with a Thursday night contest against James Madison on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
 
The game will be broadcast on FloSports, available via subscription.  Visit FloSports.tv/CAA to view the full Colonial Athletic Association schedule and sign up today.
 
All Towson women's soccer home games are free to attend for the public.  Due to Towson University parking rules, fans in attendance who do not have a campus parking pass will need to use the ParkMobile app to park in Unitas Stadium overflow lots before 2 p.m.  Download the app on your mobile device and use the code 31094St any time to be able to park in all Unitas Stadium overflow lots after 6 p.m. for this game (Note: the parking code will be different each game).
 
Three of the next four games for Towson are at home, with the game at JMU being the final Thursday home contest of the season.
 
Towson got back in the win column on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over reigning CAA champion Elon to stand at 7-4-2 overall and 2-2 in the league.  James Madison has fallen in its previous two games, the last a 1-0 road loss to Northeastern on Sunday, to enter this contest at 4-7-1 overall and 1-2 in CAA play. 
 
Thus far, Towson is tied for third place in the CAA while JMU is tied for ninth.
 
Playing a non-conference contest last year in the 2021 spring season, Towson earned its first-ever victory over JMU with a 2-0 win on March 14.  All-time, JMU leads the series 18-1.
 
MELENDEZ EARNS PRESEASON ALL-CAA HONORABLE MENTION
Riley Melendez was voted as a 2021 CAA All-Conference Honorable Mention in the preseason coaches poll.  Earning Second Team All-CAA in the spring, Melendez was a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Week with 31 saves on the season, allowing just five goals in the first seven games.
 
NIA GOING FOR TOWSON SEASON RECORD
Nia Christopher, as of Oct. 12, is tied for sixth in all of Division I with 11 goals this season, also second in the CAA.  11 goals currently stand fourth all-time in Towson single season history and is the highest Tiger single season goal tally since 2013: Emily Banes hold the Towson record with 15 goals during the 2013 campaign.
 
FORMERLY FANTASTIC FRESHMEN FOUR
In spring 2021, Towson placed four freshmen on the All-CAA and CAA All-Rookie Teams, the most all-conference players in a single season in program history.  Demi Pierre (M) and Riley Melendez (GK) earned All-CAA Second Team while Nia Christopher (F) and Phoebe Canoles (D) were All-CAA Third Team.
 
LAST TIME: TOWSON DEFEATS REIGNING CAA CHAMPION
Towson earned an important victory on the road on Sunday, defeating the defending CAA champion Elon 1-0.
Top Towson offensive player:
--Jasmine Hamid: G (54', PK), 2 shots
Towson goalkeeper:
--Riley Melendez (W): 3 saves, 0 GA
 
BLANK HAS NO BLANK SLATE
Jenna Blank may be going for some records during the 2021 campaign.  She has eight career goals in 51 games, including 31 starts at forward.
 
The junior has three career game-winning goals with the Black & Gold.  One more will make her tied for 13th all-time in Towson history.
 
Välkommen till Towson universitet
Towson sports two starters from Sweden: redshirt sophomore Demi Pierre, from Gävle, All-CAA Second Team midfielder in the spring, and Maja Hansson, from Sandviken, a sophomore who played for the U18 Swedish National Team.
 
In addition, Nia Christopher is also from outside the U.S., being a member of the Senior National Team of Bermuda.
 
TOWSON DUO NAMED CAA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
With Towson's 3-0 victory over W&M on Oct. 3, two Tigers were honored with CAA weekly awards: Nia Christopher was the CAA Offensive Player of the Week with two goals while Riley Melendez was the CAA Defensive Player of the Week with seven saves in a shutout win.  It is the first time since Mar. 8, 2021 where Towson has earned two CAA weekly awards in the same period.
 
CHRISTOPHER EARNS CSN WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK
With a combined four goals in two games, including a hat trick with a golden goal at Mount St. Mary's, Nia Christopher was recognized as the College Soccer News Women's Player of the Week on Sept. 9 along with her CAA Offensive Player of the Week honor.  Her performance led to two Towson victories, including a home win vs. Temple.
 
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 1996 AMERICA EAST TITLE TEAM
2021 marks the 25th year since the Towson women's soccer team won its first league title as a program, winning the America East that season.  The Tigers needed back-to-back four-overtime games to win the tournament, capped by a 142nd minute goal by Christi Landi to defeat Delaware 2-1 and take the league title.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
James Madison currently stands fourth in the league with 1.33 goals per game and second with 4.67 saves per game.  Redshirt senior forward Hannah Coulling is the team's leader in goals with four and shots with 24.  In net is redshirt sophomore Alexandra Blom, having a 77.5% save rate and 1.30 goals allowed average.