After the highest scoring output of the season, the South Alabama Jaguars return home to open the 2006 Sun Belt Conference season against Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas State. USA spilt a pair of matches this past weekend, losing 3-0 to LSU and winning at Mississippi Valley State, 6-2.
SCOUTING SOUTH ALABAMA: The University of South Alabama women’s soccer team stands at 2-6 after splitting two games this past weekend. USA was blanked at home by LSU and scored a season-high six goals at Mississippi Valley State for its second win of the season. Freshman Sam Stocker had her first career hat trick for the Jaguars in the win over MVSU.
This year, senior Jenn Edgar and Stocker lead the team with three goals a piece and Stocker leads the team with seven points. She also leads the team with 12 shots and seven on goal. Freshman Amanada Olivas and junior Kelly Tarrant each have a goal.
In goal, the Jaguars have used all three keepers. Sophomore Kelsie Langford has seen the most action with 654:01 minutes logged with 29 saves and a 1.93 GAA and one shutout. Freshman Katie Berry has seen action in four games, allowing one goal and has four saves. Freshman Jessica Ori has seen action in one game in goal with two saves.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK: The Trojans enter the week with a 2-5 record after a pair of losses at Missouri State and Ole Miss. UALR has dropped four of its past five matches and has scored just two goals in the last five matches. UALR will conclude a six match roadstand this weekend at South Alabama and at Troy. The Trojans have had just one home date in its first seven matches.
Leading the way for the Trojans this season is Jessica Beaver who has four goals and eight points thus far. She leads the team with 16 shots and 12 on goal. Grace Rich has two goals and two assists, while Stefanie DiFrancesco and Alison Davis each have a goal.
In goal, Ashley Boccarossa has seen most of the work, clocking 498:59 mintues with 16 saves and a 1.80 GAA. Her sister Stephanie has seen action in two games for a total of 112:02 minutes and has recorded 13 saves.
Head coach Gregg Hess is in his sixth season at the helm of the UALR program. He is 19-71-4 and welcomes back five starters and 11 letterwinners from last season’s 3-15-1 squad.
LAST TIME THEY MET: The Jaguars lead the all-time series 8-3 including a 2-0 win last year in Mobile where the Jags held UALR to just one shot. Kelly Tarrant scored both of the Jaguar goals off assists from Michelle Leppert. USA holds a 5-2 record in games in Mobile and a 3-1 mark in games in Little Rock.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS STATE: Arkansas State enters the week searching for its first win of the season after a 2-0 loss at Centenary on Sunday. ASU stands at 0-7-1 on the season and have not scored a goal in over 200 minutes. ASU has been shutout five times this season.
Leading the way for Arkansas State this season is Markie McRae who leads the team with three goals and six points. She also leads the squad with 11 shots and seven on goal. Jessie Zingo also has a goal and Katherine Krekeler has added an assist to complete the Indians’ scoring attack.
In goal, ASU has split time between Brielan Smiechowski who has 22 saves and a 1.97 GAA in 319:32 minutes of work. Kelly Goodman has seen action in 338:43 minutes and has 18 saves along with a 2.39 GAA.
Head coach Jason Wharton is in his third season at ASU and 10th overall. Wharton has a 10-27-2 record and welcomes back seven starters and 11 letterwinners from last season’s 5-13-1 squad.
LAST TIME THEY MET: USA owns a 5-0-1 record over Arkansas State in a series that dates back to Oct. 20, 2000. USA has a 4-0 record in matches in Mobile and a 1-0-1 record in Jonesboro. USA defeated Arkansas State in Mobile last year, 1-0. Like with Arkansas-Little Rock, USA held ASU to just one shot for the match.
RECAPPING MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE: The Jaguars won their second match of the season with their highest offensive output of the season so far. USA tallied a season-best six goals, five assists, 15 shots and 12 on goal. Freshmen Sam Stocker and Amanda Olivas scored their first career goals against MVSU. Stocker tallied the first hat trick of the season for USA. She also added an assist.
HAT TRICKIN’ JAGS: Freshman Sam Stocker tallied her first career hat trick at Mississippi Valley State on Sunday in the Jaguars 6-2 win. Stocker scored the first goal of the game, just five minutes in. It was the first hat trick by a Jaguar since Tanya Allegretti tallied four goals against Alabama State on Oct. 30, 2005.
FRESHMEN STEPPING UP: With 14 freshmen on the squad, the Jaguars have had plenty of support from them this season. Sam Stocker is tied for the team lead with three goals and leads the team with seven points, 12 shots and seven on goal. Amanda Olivas scored her first goal of her career on Sunday at Mississippi Valley State. The freshmen have combined for 34 of the Jaguars’ 59 shots on the season and have 21 of the 34 shots on goal.
GAME DAY SPONSORS: The South Alabama Jaguar women’s soccer team would like to extend a special thank you to this week’s game day sponsors; Fox’s Pizza Den, Gambino Brothers, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Wings To Go.
The Jags will travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn. to take on Middle Tennessee Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. before heading to Bowling Green, Ky. to face Western Kentucky Sunday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.
