CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga women's soccer team is back on the road to take on Jacksonville State Sunday evening in Jacksonville.
 
CHATTANOOGA vs. JACKSONVILLE STATE
The two programs have split the series 3-3-1. UTC has won three of the last four including the previous two meetings. The 2023 matchup was the first since 2011 and the Mocs won 3-1 at home.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Mocs at Jacksonville State
Site: Jacksonville, Ala.
Date: Sunday, September 1
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Links for live stats and video streaming on ESPN+ are available online on the women's soccer schedule page at GoMocs.com.
 
LAST MEETING
Caroline Richvalsky recorded the first hat trick of her collegiate career and the first for UTC since Chloe Arnold's at The Citadel in 2017.
 
ABOUT CHATTANOOGA (0-4-1)
The Mocs have a tough non-conference slate with a pair of SEC foes and a Top 25 matchup behind them. A pair of goals from Caroline Richvalsky and Clarissa Salinas forced a draw at Georgia State in the season opener. Brenna Swiger connected on her first goal for the Mocs, striking late against #15 Xavier. Caroline Ekern ranks 59^th in the NCAA for total saves with 19 through five games.
 
ABOUT JACKSONVILLE STATE (2-2)
The Gamecocks opened the season with back-to-back shutouts over West Georgia (1-0) and North Alabama (5-0). That was followed by a 4-1 loss at Kentucky and a 2-1 loss at UNC Asheville. JSU is averaging two goals and 9.3 shots per game. Melissa Kuya-strobel, Naroa Domenech and Tori Paul each have two goals with Kuya-strobel leading the team with three assists and seven points. Poppy Bastrock has played every minute in goal, has 15 saves, two shutouts and a 1.50 goals-against average.
 
CHATTANOOGA NEWS AND NOTES
Caroline Ekern First in NCAA for minutes, Ranked in Total Saves
Junior Caroline Ekern is beginning her third year in the net for Chattanooga. She ranks first, along with 112 other players, for minutes played in goal. She has played every minute thus far, totaling 450 minutes. She is 59^th for total saves with 19 in the NCAA and second in the SoCon.
 
Clarissa Salinas, Chattanooga first in the NCAA for penalty kicks made
Junior Clarissa Salinas is tied 113 players this year so far to connect on her penalty kick. She is 1-for-1 with the game-tying PK against Georgia State. The Mocs are one of 88 teams to hit all PKs.
 
Brenna Swiger Nets First Goal for the Mocs
Transfer Brenna Swiger turned on ball in the box and booted home her first goal for the Mocs in the second half against Xavier. The goal, a left-footed shot, cut the Musketeers lead in half. She was assisted by Nicole Solete.
 
Season Opener Ends in Draw
Caroline Richvalsky put the Mocs on the board early at Georgia State. However, the Panthers came back to take a 2-1 lead. With just over a minute remaining in the contest, Richvalsky was fouled inside the box. Clarissa Salinas knocked home the penalty kick for the tie. She also had a late goal against Georgia State in 2022 in Atlanta for the tie.
 
Mocs Return 13 Veterans to the Pitch
UTC returns 54 percent of its offense from the 2023 season led by Caroline Richvalsky who had a team-high for goals and was second on the team in scoring. Clarissa Salinas had the fourth most goals and point. Caroline Ekern tallied four shutouts last season and returns to the net. She had a 1.29 goals against average and a .756 save percentage.
 
Many New Faces in the Lineup
Chattanooga's 2024 lineup has seven freshmen and six transfers. Grad transfer Brenna Swiger and sophomore Abbey Marak have found their way into the starting lineup along with freshmen Sophia Mize, Naomi Kato and Paige Thomas.
 
Strong Non-Conference Schedule
The Mocs opened the season with a draw at Georgia State and fell on the road at Tennessee with a pair of unlikely goals. The home opener saw UTC fall to Alabama and the Mocs will host Xavier who climbed four spots to #15 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
 
Chattanooga Hosts Five in Southern Conference Action
The SoCon season opens on the road for UTC at Wofford. That will be followed by a pair of home matches against Samford and UNC Greensboro. ETSU and The Citadel will travel to the Scenic City in October and the season closes against the 2023 defending SoCon regular season and tournament champion Western Carolina.
 
Mocs Picked Sixth in Preseason Poll
The Mocs were picked to finish sixth in the Southern Conference Preseason Poll as voted on by the league coaches.