The USCB women's soccer team looks to get back in the win column when the Sand Sharks travel to Columbia International on Saturday evening for their final tuneup before beginning conference play. 

The Sand Sharks are coming off a 2-1 defeat at Columbia College on Wednesday and hope to regain some momentum before their Sun Conference opener Thursday at Southeastern (Fla.). 

"With this being our last match before conference play, we need to focus on improving and getting prepared for the challenge of Sun Conference competition," USCB coach Ed Heberling said. "We had a great training session Friday and look forward to heading back to Columbia." 

Although goals have been hard to come by at times for the Sand Sharks, USCB continues to produce scoring opportunities at an impressive rate, ranking fourth in the NAIA in shots on goal per game (13.57) and 11th in shots per game (23.29). The team has emphasized finishing those chances in recent training sessions.  

The Rams, in just the program's second year of competition under coach Kara Farnsworth, are ranked ninth in the National Christian College Athletic Association. Their only match against an NAIA opponent thus far was a 2-0 loss at Southeastern on Aug. 29. Those are the only two goals the Rams have allowed in four matches this season, as Anna Mershon has recorded two shutouts and Hilton Head Island native Sam Wammock has one. The Rams also have been shut out twice, though, and seven of their 10 goals came in a lopsided win over Johnson (Fla.) University.

"Coach Kara has done a great job at CIU and we will face a well-disciplined team that works hard for each other," Heberling said. "We will need to make adjustments and be creative in our attack to be successful." 
 

FIN FACTS

• With two goals versus Middle Georgia, junior F Hayley Pina became USCB's career leader for points (40), surpassing Alexa Muffley. Pina also ranks second for goals (15) and assists (10) in USCB history. She trails Muffley by one goal and is one assist behind Jessica Tooley for the all-time lead in each category.

• USCB won its first two road games to start a season before falling at Columbia College on Wednesday. The school record for road wins in a season is four set in 2012 and matched in 2013.

• The Sand Sharks have outshot the opposition in six of their seven games this season and have held a double-digit edge in five of those matches. USCB has allowed five or fewer shots on goal four times and has permitted five or fewer total shots three times.

• Ten different players have scored goals and two more have registered assists for the Sand Sharks with Pina leading the team with seven points. Pina (3) and freshman F Felicia Alpenmyr (2) are the only Sand Sharks with multiple goals. 

• USCB opened the season with back-to-back shutouts – the first consecutive clean sheets  since the Sand Sharks recorded consecutive 1-0 wins over St. Andrews and Southeastern in October 2013. 
 

RELATED LINKS

USCB Schedule and Results

USCB 2016 Statistics

Sun Conference Women's Soccer Standings

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