CLINTON, S.C. – The last couple of pre-Big South contests await the Presbyterian College Women's Soccer team over the next four days, closing a three-match home stand on Thursday before hitting the road at the close of the weekend. Fresh off their most productive offensive outing of the season on Sunday, the Blue Hose will serve as the hosting party for Georgia State on Sept. 8 at 7:00 p.m., turning around from that meeting to visit Mississippi State on Sept. 11 for a 1:00 kick.
 
WHEN: Thursday, September 8
WHERE: Martin Stadium (Clinton, S.C.)
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
RECORDS: Presbyterian (0-4-2), Georgia State (3-1-2)
 
WHEN: Sunday, September 11
WHERE: MSU Soccer Field (Starkville, Miss.)
TIME: 1:00 p.m.
RECORDS: Presbyterian (0-4-2), Mississippi State (4-0-2)
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:
Taking on the Panthers of GSU for only the third time in school history and the first time from Edens Field, the Blue Hose will hope to make up for a 6-2 setback against Georgia State one season ago, prepping for a Sun Belt foe with three shutouts already on their resume. PC boasts a pair of clean sheets themselves, possibly weaving towards a defense-minded contest on Thursday in the final nonconference match of the fall to be held at Martin Stadium.

Besting Clayton State, Murray State, and most recently Jacksonville State by a combined margin of 8-0 in their three shutout W's, the Panthers bring an average of 14 shots per game to go along with their stout defensive numbers. Regular starting keeper Jaddah Foos sits with 21 saves on the year, good for the third-most in the Sun Belt.

Putting together two or more goals in four of their six appearances, Georgia State quickly silenced JSU last Sunday with three strikes before the game's halfway point for their third win. Led by head coach Ed Joyce in his seventh season at the helm, the Panthers have rifled off 16 shots or more thrice in 2022, coming away with an eye-popping 30 in the victory over Clayton State.

Once Presbyterian has wrapped up their fifth home outing in their past six go-arounds, head coach Brian Purcell's club will go head-to-head with Southeastern Conference power Mississippi State for the first time in school history, one year after another first-time SEC matchup versus Georgia. MSU has emerged as one of the strongest competitors in the region behind an undefeated record through six contests, most recently outlasting Louisiana Tech 2-1 right before Labor Day.

Perhaps with an even more stringent back line than the Panthers, Mississippi State has blanked nearly 70% of their opponents thus far in nonconference play, holding four foes to zero goals for a combined difference of 8-2 since the start of the season.

Flexing one of the most balanced lineups in a league that features seven unbeaten programs, the Bulldogs will travel to Southern Miss tomorrow evening before hosting the Blue Hose on Sunday afternoon. Presbyterian will close the non-Big South side of the schedule with arguably their most daunting task of the semester on Sept. 11, beginning a 16-day stretch away from Clinton that will include the conference opener at Longwood on Sept. 21.
 
LAST TIME OUT:
In what turned into the highest-scoring duel of the year despite a mere 1-0 halftime discrepancy, PC's in-state clash with The Citadel last Sunday fell in the Bulldogs' favor when all was said and done, outgunning the Blue Hose by a 4-2 clip in a breakout performance by freshman forward Sloan Spees.

Finding the back of the net twice in the same game to bring her total on the week to a trio, Spees' scores in the 8^th and 64^th minutes weren't enough to keep The Citadel at bay, giving up four second-half strikes in a wild encounter.

Searching for their first outright win of '22 to go along with two ties, Presbyterian will embark on their last weekend before Big South competition dominates the conversation for the rest of the way.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW:
A link to the official live stats page for both matches against GSU and Mississippi State can be found below.

Georgia State live stats - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=412748
Mississippi State live stats - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=412279