Troy seals draw on home field

Troy soccer stayed steady at home Sunday afternoon, drawing 1-1 with Georgia Southern to add another point to its tally in conference play. The tie helps put the Trojans back on the right track after a 5-3 loss to Old Dominion Thursday night in Norfolk, Virginia.  

Against Georgia Southern, it was freshman Isabella Hartofelis who found the back of the net, as the midfielder notched her first career goal off an Elsa Stedman free kick in the 58th minute.  

“We’ve worked on that this season,” said head coach Stuart Gore to Troy Athletics. “Bella made a great run, timed it perfectly and didn’t really have to do much – just let it hit her head.” 

Hartofelis’s goal was a part of a calculated attack from the Trojans to help stifle a Georgia Southern offense which is third in the Sun Belt Conference for total goals scored. A career high 14 saves from junior goalkeeper Taylor Richards also aided the Trojans’ draw with the Eagles. 

 The career high from Richards was the highest number of saves in a match by a Sun Belt keeper since 2021, while the 14 saves were also the most for a Troy keeper in six years.

Haileigh Mercer’s 14 saves against UAB in 2019 was the last time a Trojan goalkeeper achieved the feat.  

The ever-consistent Richards kept the Eagles at bay for 80 minutes before a Trojan penalty in the box set up a Georgia Southern penalty kick. In the 83rd minute, the Eagles tied the match 1-1 off the ensuing penalty.

Despite the goal, Richards leads the Sun Belt in saves at 66, and save percentage, an impressive 83.5 percent. The junior is also tied for third in conference for goals against average, averaging 1.08 goals per match.  

Sunday’s result was a great bounce back for the Trojans after they fell 5-3 in Norfolk on Thursday night to Old Dominion.  

The No. 51 RPI ranked Monarchs came out firing, notching goals in almost 15-minute intervals to take a 3-0 lead into halftime. The goals for the Monarchs came at the 16th minute, the 30th minute and 44th minute marks.  

Out of half the Trojans found offense, as a Megan Hamm shot deflected in at the 50-minute mark, Hamm’s first goal of her college career. Fourteen minutes later, Hailey Phillips found an open net in front of her to score her first goal of the season and cut the deficit down to 3-2.  

Old Dominion would show its strength in response, finding two goals of their own, one in the 70th minute and one in the 82nd minute. Troy would find the net one more time to lessen the deficit, as freshman Hayden Barnett scored her first career goal in the 89th minute.  

The Trojans next go on the road to face Georgia State in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday, Oct. 12, before heading to Monroe, Louisiana, on Oct. 19 to face ULM.  

After that, they return to Troy for their last two home matches of the season, a Friday nightcap against Louisiana on Oct. 24 before a rivalry match the next Wednesday against South Alabama on Oct. 29.