University Star

The Bobcats (2-3-1) take on a tough Central Michigan (3-1-1) at home on Friday night.

Texas State soccer will take on Central Michigan University Sept. 7 at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. The Bobcats’ current record is 2-3-1 after Sunday’s loss against Rice in Houston.

The Chippewas are coming into Bobcat Field with their only loss to the sixth ranked team in the nation, Penn State. Texas State will attempt to get their edge at home as they try to bounce back from a close loss to Rice Sunday night.

“(Central Michigan) is a very high paced, high energy team,” Coach Kat Conner said. “They are playing very inspired ball this year and put up some great results, so we are definitely going to be in a tough battle,” Coach Conner said Tuesday at practice. “We got to make sure we’re playing as a unit and that are defense is up so we can make and get out of our defensive shape and get are attack going. I think this game will look a lot like UTEP when we played them so hopefully we’ve improved from our game (against) UTEP.”

Texas State goes into the game trying to improve in many phases. The offense has only scored a total of eight goals this season in six games and is getting outscored by their opponents 9-8. However, Texas State’s offense in the second half comes to life, out scoring their opponents 7-4.

“I think the way we finished the Rice game, we did very well,” senior defender Emma Staley said. “So we are coming off a high and coming home, and playing at home we know we don’t want to lose with are fans here and we’re all pretty excited to play at home and get the win.”

Part of the Bobcat scoring issue has been a slow transitioning attack. Working to correct that is a work in progress.

“Defensively, we are changing up our formation so we can quickly transition to offense,” freshman forward Lynsey Curry said. “That’s what we worked on in the Rice game and hopefully we can build on that when we play Central Michigan.”

After their game on Friday night against the Chippewas, the Bobcats head to Fort Worth to take on the TCU Horned Frogs (2-2-1). Texas State will try and avenge a loss to the Horned Frogs last year in a battle they lost 3-1. One of TCU’s key wins this year was against a Rice Owls team in a 2-0 shutout.

“We definitely have some revenge,” Staley said before practice Tuesday. “We always go back and forth and last year they beat us pretty badly. We’re ready to go back up there and show that we have grown as a team.”

Texas State’s offense looks to take advantage of a TCU defense that has given up seven goals in four games this season.

“We definitely have to be on our ‘A’ game,” Conner said. “We didn’t do that against Rice, but I thought we responded well in the second half. We need to come out with that same mentality like we did at Rice in the second half and put it all together for 90 minutes, instead of just coming out half and half against both Central Michigan and TCU. Then I think we will be fine.”

WAC play is only two weeks away and Texas State only has three more non-conference games after this weekend’s action. The first weekend of WAC play includes home games against Idaho and Seattle, on Friday Sept. 28 and Sunday Sept. 30, respectively, at the Bobcat Soccer Complex.