MOBILE, Ala. ? The University of South Alabama soccer team dropped its first round game of the 2007 Sun Belt Conference Soccer Tournament against Western Kentucky 3-0, Wednesday. The Jaguars end the season with a 9-8-3 record, while the top-seeded Toppers improved to 14-2-3.

“I can’t fault our effort tonight and they (WKU) were just more efficient on their opportunities,” head coach Mike Varga said.

The Toppers got on the board first as Mallory Outerbridge put a shot in the goal in the seventh minute. The goal was Outerbridge’s eighth on the season and proved to be the only goal needed on the night.

Western Kentucky increased its lead to 2-0 in the second half on Kellie Walker’s fifth goal of the season. In the 60^th minute, the Toppers added their third score of the night on a Daniele Hogue goal. The Jaguars had opportunities as lead they Western in corner kicks 11 to 4, but were unable to put a goal on the scoreboard.

“We probably weren’t as dangerous on the corner kicks as we wanted to be,” Varga added. “We tested their keeper all night, but the ball just didn’t fall our way tonight.”

The 2007 Sun Belt Conference tournament continues at “The Cage,” Thursday with North Texas and Denver playing at 4 p.m. and Western and UALR matched in the nightcap at 7 p.m.

Tournament results can be accessed at sunbeltsports.org.

Thursday Tournament Schedule
Game 1: No. 4 North Texas v.s. No. 3 Denver, 4 p.m.
Game 2: No. 7 UALR v.s. No. 1 Western Kentucky, 7 p.m.

Saturday Tournament Schedule

Championship Game, 1 p.m.