MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama soccer team will travel to Troy, Ala. this weekend for its last match of the regular season against Sun Belt Conference rival Troy Friday at 3 p.m. at the Trojan Soccer Complex.

“Troy is always a tough match for us,” said USA head coach Mike Varga. “They’re well coached, have a lot of talent and are hard to play at their place. This season has flown by. It’s hard to believe we are at our last regular season match. This group has been a pleasure to coach and has made my job extremely enjoyable this year.

“It is also an important match for us as we prepare for the conference tournament. We have a couple players that may need some rest, and others may get an opportunity to get some important minutes prior to our first match in Murfreesboro, Tenn.”

USA is off to one of the best starts in school history with an 11-4-3 overall record and 4-3-2 mark in the SBC, which puts them in the No. 6 spot in the conference standings. The Jags have not recorded 11 wins in a season since 2005 when South Alabama went 12-5-1.

The Jaguars enter the match looking to bounce back from their first home loss of the season. South Alabama fell to Western Kentucky 1-0 on Oct. 23, snapping the Jags’ three-match unbeaten streak.

Ten Jaguars have scored goals this season, but South Alabama’s offense is paced by senior forward Brandi Smith (Red Oak, Texas). Smith has netted at team-high 11 goals, including five game winners, while adding three assists. She leads the Sun Belt in shots with 68 and ranks 19th in the country in game-winning goals.

Defensively, USA is led by sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Drish (Conyers, Ga.) who has recorded 96 saves this season to preserve a career-high seven shutouts. Drish leads the Sun Belt and is ranked 29th nationally with an .850 save percentage.    

The Jags’ all-time series with the Trojans is split at 3-3-1. Last season, Troy edged South Alabama 1-0 in Mobile.

Troy, who ranks eighth in the SBC, is 9-9-1 on the season and 4-6 in conference play after being shut out by Middle Tennessee 3-0 at home on Oct. 23. That loss was only the Trojans’ second home loss of the season. The first came when SBC opponent Arkansas State topped Troy 2-1 on Oct. 16.

The Trojans’ leading scorer is Chelsey Williams who has tallied nine goals, including two game winners, and has added one assist on the season. Williams is followed by Ruth Sutcliffe and Alissa Jones who have each netted seven goals.   

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).