The Matchup: Towson (7-5-2, 2-3-0 CAA) vs. Charleston (2-9-2, 1-3-0 CAA)
Place: Tiger Field – Towson, Md.
Date/Time: Sunday, October 17, 1 p.m.
Broadcast: FloSports ($)
Live Stats: towsontigers.com
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's soccer team will be honoring its senior class on Sunday, Oct. 17, hosting Charleston at 1 p.m. at Tiger Field for Senior Day.
 
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.
 
In a pregame ceremony, Towson will be honoring the careers of five players for Senior Day: Camryn Anderson, Jenna Blank, Delaney Mitchell, Olivia Ramirez and Riley Rumbley.
 
Towson fell to James Madison on Thursday night 2-1 to enter Sunday's contest at 7-5-2 overall and 2-3 in CAA play.  Charleston will be playing its first game in a week, coming off a 1-0 road victory over Delaware on Oct. 10, to stand at 2-9-2 overall and 1-3 in the league.
 
With four games to go in league play, Towson is tied for fourth place in the CAA while Charleston is in 10th with five games left.
 
Playing every fall season (except 2020 due to COVID) since Charleston joined the CAA in 2013, the Cougars hold a slight edge in the all-time series 2-1-3.  Towson is unbeaten in the last two meetings, including a 2-1 road victory on Oct. 27, 2019.
 
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 FALLS TO JMU
A Demi Pierre goal tied the game late in the second half, but JMU retook the lead and won the game 2-1.
Top Towson offensive player:
--Demi Pierre: 1 G (73'), 1 shot
Towson goalkeeper:
--Riley Melendez (L): 4 saves, 2 GA
 
BLANK HAS NO BLANK SLATE
Jenna Blank may be going for some records during the 2021 campaign.  She has eight career goals in 52 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:
Charleston's game at Towson is the third straight road contest for the Cougars.  Junior midfielder Natalie Sgro is the leading scorer of the team with three goals while freshman forward Delaney Dawes has two goals and an assist.  Standing in goal is graduate student Meredith Holton, having a 72% save rate and 1.66 goals allowed average.