SHREVEPORT, La. - The Gents and Ladies will celebrate senior day against Dallas October 13, the final Friday home games for Centenary soccer in 2017.
The contest against the Crusaders are also important for both teams in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament picture. The Ladies (3-8-1, 2-5-1 SCAC) currently sit tied with Dallas (3-8-2, 2-5-1 SCAC) for the fourth seed as both teams have seven points. Sitting right behind, tied for sixth, is Austin College and Southwestern at 2-6 (six points). All four teams are fighting for the final three spots.
It also holds importance in potential tie-breaking matters as Dallas beat Centenary in Irving, Texas, earlier this season.
October 13 vs Dallas: Live Stats | Live Video
October 15 vs Colorado College: Live Stats | Live Video
Dallas leads the all-time series with the Ladies, 8-3
Friday, September 22: at Dallas 3, Centenary 1
Meanwhile, the Gents (2-9-2, 1-7-1) look to knock off one of the best teams in the conference in Dallas (7-2-2, 6-1-2 SCAC). The Crusaders currently have accumulated 20 points in conference play, four points behind leader Trinity. However, the Crusaders ended the 47-game home unbeaten streak of the Tigers earlier this season.
Dallas hosts the SCAC Men's Soccer Tournament in November.
Dallas leads the all-time series with the Gents, 8-7
Friday, September 22: at Dallas 4, Centenary 0
While the Ladies do not play again on the weekend, the Gents host Colorado College (8-3-2, 6-2-1 SCAC) for their final home SCAC match of the season on Sunday, October 15, at noon.
Colorado College leads the all-time series with the Gents, 10-1
Sunday, September 24: at Colorado College 1, Centenary 0
Ladies Celebrate Senior Day for Last Conference Game
Friday will mark the final home game for five Centenary Ladies soccer players. Together, this class has nearly 250 games played and more than 150 starts. They and the rest of the team qualified for the 2016 SCAC Tournament, recording the most wins for a season since Centenary joined the SCAC in 2012. Academically, every member has made an appearance on the SCAC Scholars List.
"This year's senior class is a group I have had a lot of fun with," said head coach Greg Cathell. "I think it is a little disappointing I have only worked with them for a year, but we have some impact players in there, as well as our three captains, who have done well from a leadership standpoint. The seniors have brought a lot to the table; I am proud of their work ethic. They are very unselfish on their expectations individually, but are very keen on what they expect from the team as a whole.
"We are certainly going to miss them and look for a good showing against Dallas," added Cathell.
Emily Duet will finish her four-year career with more than 50 games played. In her time, the midfielder scored her lone goal of her career off a rebound of her own shot that hit the post in 2016 at Belhaven. In 11 shots for her career, nine have been on goal (.818 percent). Academically, she has appeared on the SCAC Academic Honor Roll Twice.
At Centenary, Duet is also a member of Chi Omega, residence life, and SOAR. In 2016-17, she received RA of the Year honors. She is majoring in psychology at and intends to obtain a master's degree in higher education and work in student affairs upon graduation.
While with Ladies soccer, Duet said "My favorite memory was playing cat and mouse last year, and my legs giving out, and I fell to the ground. I left my soul on Mayo Field that day."
Connor Harwood transferred to Centenary prior to the 2016 season and has played and started in 30 games. Despite being a defender, she started her career fast with two goals in her first four games with the Ladies. In fact, Harwood says her favorite memory is scoring her first collegiate goal against Louisiana College.
A member of Zeta Tau Alpha and Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science honor society, Harwood was named to the 2016 SCAC Scholars list after the season. Harwood is majoring in political science with a minor in history. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school for forensic and investigative studies and work for the FBI.
Riley Spudic has been a four-year starter for the Ladies, having started all 62 games she has played in for her Centenary career. Playing defense, she has scored a pair of goals and added an assist, scoring the game-winner in a down pour against Dallas in the 2015 season.
However, Spudic's favorite memory is her other goal off of a free kick against Trinity her freshman season.
Spudic is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and Alpha Epsilon Delta and Tri Beta honor societies. A two-time SCAC Scholar's List honoree, she is majoring in biology. Upon graduation, Spudic plans to continue her education and obtain her master in environmental science.
In her career with the Ladies, Sarah Wann has played in 55 games for the Ladies, appearing on the SCAC Scholar's List her freshman season. Her favorite memory is on a trip back to Shreveport, coach made a surprise stop at Dairy Queen, although she does not know if it was necessarily a surprise or if the coach really wanted ice cream.
Off the playing field, she has been both Vice President and the Academic and Risk of Zeta. Majoring in psychology, she plans to get her graduate degree in social work and become a clinical social worker.
Finally, four-year starter AJ Walsh has played in 53 games with 44 starts. The midfielder has 26 shots in her career with 12 on target. She also scored her only career goal in a rain-soaked, Ladies victory against Dallas at Mayo Field her sophomore season. Off the field, she received academic honors from the conference following her sophomore season.
At Centenary, her favorite memory was having a practice turn into a water balloon fight.
A biology major, she plans on becoming a physician's assistant upon graduation.
Gents Soccer Also Celebrates Senior Day on Friday
The Gents soccer team will also celebrate the career of senior goalkeeper Kaleb Behm for the final home conference night game on Friday.
"Kaleb truly epitomizes what it means to be a Centenary College athlete," said head coach Kyle Symczak. "His freshman year was my first year as an assistant, and it has been a pleasure watching him develop into the person that he is today. Kaleb is always the first person on the practice field, and his competitiveness is something I have always admired. I could not be more proud of him as a player, as a player, and as an overall representative of the College.
"I know he will find success in whatever he pursues after graduation," added Symczak.
For his career, Kaleb has played in 21 games with 17 starts in goal, including having been on the field for more than 1500 minutes. For his career, he has 126 saves and a .720 save percentage. Academically, he was named to the SCAC Scholar's list last season.
With Gents soccer, his best memory is the people he has met who will be friends for the rest of his life.
At Centenary, he is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee, a head Student Ambassador, a Fitness Center Manager, the President of the Kappa Alpha Order, and the chairman of the Inter-Fraternity Council. Behm is a finance major, with a minor in economics. However, he does not talk about his future as each time he does, coach Symczak cries.
Next Up
While Dallas is the only game for women's soccer, the Gents play their penultimate home game of the season Sunday afternoon when they welcome Colorado College. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
