Bobcats shutout Troy, head to Sun Belt tournament semifinals

The Bobcats had to shake off the rust.

Texas State hadn’t played a match in 10 days heading into Wednesday’s Sun Belt tournament first-round matchup with Troy. It took the team a while to warm up before scoring the game-winning goal to take a 1-0 victory over the Trojans.

Neither team was able to get much going during the first half. The Bobcats attempted just three shots in the first 45 minutes, none of them on goal. Though the offense struggled, Texas State’s defense held firm, allowing just one shot from Troy that also went off target.

The offense stepped things up in the second half, sending 12 shots the Trojans’ way. Troy’s defense couldn’t handle it.

In the 63rd minute, sophomore midfielder Haley Groff sent a pass up the left side of the field to junior defender Genesis Turman. Turman made a split decision, squaring up to the goal and launching a cross into the box. The ball found junior forward and Sun Belt Player of the Year Kaylee Davis, who knocked in the header for the first goal of the game.

The Trojans were never able to equalize, taking just two shots on target, both of them saved by junior goalkeeper Heather Martin.

Davis is now up to 17 goals on the season and her school record-breaking seventh game-winning goal of the season. Groff and Turman were both credited with assists, the latter tying for the team lead with five this year.

No. 1 Texas State will take on No. 5 South Alabama in the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament, kicking off on Friday at 4 p.m. in Foley, Ala.