The Game: Towson Tigers (8-2-2, 1-1-1 CAA) at Delaware Blue Hens (2-7-3, 1-2 CAA)
When: Sunday, Oct. 2 – 1 p.m.
Where: Stuart & Suzanne Grant Stadium – Newark, Del.
Broadcast: FloSports ($)
Series: Delaware leads the series 17-11-2
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's soccer team will look to keep up their winning ways against Delaware on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m.
Towson is coming off a 2-1 win against Drexel on Thursday night. The Tigers got an early goal from
Nia Christopher and got the game winner from
Jasmine Hamid off a free kick in the 72
nd minute.
Riley Melendez made a big save in the final minutes on a penalty kick to preserve the victory.
The Tigers and Blue Hens will be meeting for the 31
st time in the all-time series with Delaware leading the series 17-11-2. Delaware won the most recent matchup, 2-1 last October.
Towson will continue their road swing at Charleston next Thursday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
CHRISTOPHER - CAA PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nia Christopher was honored as the CAA Preseason Player of the Year, voted on by the league's head coaches. Christopher was second in the CAA last season with 13 goals, including five game-winners.
CANOLES - PRESEASON ALL-CAA TEAM
Team captain
Phoebe Canoles earned a spot on the Preseason All-CAA Team. The 2021 All-CAA Third Team midfielder started all 18 games last year, scoring three goals and four assists.
In addition, team captain
Jacey Miller was CAA Preseason Honorable Mention, playing all 1,637 minutes on the back line in 2021.
CHRISTOPHER GOING FOR TU GOALS RECORD
Nia Christopher stands with 23 career goals in her Towson career, including 13 as a sophomore in 2021. The Bermuda National Team forward is going for the record currently held by Emily Banes, who scored 30 goals from 2008-13.
Välkommen till Towson universitet
Towson sports two starters from Sweden: redshirt junior
Demi Pierre, from Gävle, All-CAA Second Team midfielder in spring 2021, and
Maja Hansson, from Sandviken, a junior 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. She competed with Bermuda in the CONCACAF qualifiers, netting a hat trick against the Cayman Islands.
2021-22 USC COLLEGE TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD
For the fourth straight year, Towson was honored with the USC College Team Academic Award for having a team GPA of 3.0 or better. Towson had a 3.31 GPA during the 2021-22, placing 16 on the CAA Academic Honor Roll.
LAST MATCH: TOWSON KNOCKS OFF DREXEL
Towson picked up a big 2-1 win against Drexel on Thursday.
Top Towson offensive players:
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Jasmine Hamid: 1 G, 1 A
Towson goalkeeper:
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Riley Melendez: 6 SV
RECORD-BREAKING DAY
The Tigers had a record setting day against Delaware State in their 7-0 win. The team tied the program record for most non-conference win with six. The Tigers also set the program record for longest win streak at five games.
Nia Christopher set the program record for most goals in a single game with five, while also moving into sixth place on the all-time scoring list.
tOP SCORERS ARE BACK
Fresh off its first winning season since 2007, Towson returns is top five goal scorers from last year:
Nia Christopher (13),
Khori Banks (4),
Jasmine Hamid (3),
Phoebe Canoles (3) and
Demi Pierre (2). Christopher's 13 goals are third all-time in program single season history.
In addition, Hamid (6), Canoles (4) and Pierre (3) were the top three Tigers in assists last year. Hamid's six assists tied for seventh in Towson single season history.
RILEY READY
Riley Melendez is a two-time All-CAA goalkeeper in as many seasons with the program. She played all but 20 minutes in the cage in 2021. Her 150 saves stand 9th all-time in Towson history plus she has a career 0.93 goals allowed average, which currently is second all-time in program history.
FIVE SPOT IN THREE STATES
Towson has five players each from three different states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the home state of Maryland.
Two Maryland natives reside in Baltimore County: sophomore
Chiara Menegatti went to Towson High while
Phoebe Canoles attended Perry Hall High.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
Delaware comes into the contest at 2-7-3, 1-2 CAA on the year having defeated Elon 3-0 on Thursday night. Sara D'Appolonia leads the Blue Hens with six goals and one assist for 13 points. Raychel Speicher and Katie Hackley have a pair of goals with Speicher adding four assists. Mia Reed has seen the majority of the time in net, allowing 14 goals (1.35 GAA) with 45 saves (.763 save percentage) with one shutout.