USA vs. Southern box score

MOBILE, Ala. – Senior Kristin Sutton (Pensacola, Fla.) came off the bench to record a brace as the University of South Alabama soccer team rallied for a 5-1 win over Southern University Tuesday night at The Cage.

“She struck the ball well,” said USA head coach Mike Varga. “When you put the ball on target good things can happen and she put it on target. That’s what we want them to do. We want them to put it on the frame and make the keeper work for a save and she did that tonight.”

Sutton scored the game-winning goal bouncing the ball off the right post and into the left side of the net at the 39-minute mark. She netted a long distance shot into the upper right corner off a cross from
Hernandez in the 67th minute for her second goal of the match.

USA out shot SU 30-2 in finding the net five times. South Alabama advanced its record to 1-1 while Southern falls to 0-1 on the season.

Sophomores Clarissa Hernandez (Pensacola, Fla.), Kristyn Thacker (Ellenwood, Ga.) and Tatum Perry (Huntsville, Ala.) added the other three USA goals.

Hernandez knocked in a match-equalizing penalty kick at the four-minute mark to put the South Alabama on the board.

Thacker picked up an assist on Sutton’s first goal 39 minutes into the match before knocking in a loose ball off a missed attempt by sophomore Morgan Motes (Birmingham, Ala.) 55 minutes in.

Perry scored at the 77-minute mark after Southern goalkeeper D’Nae Capron bobbled the ball.

South Alabama's Melissa Drish (Conyers, Ga.) picked up the win in goal.

Southern’s Rekeia Gallien put the Lady Jags on the board early, nailing a shot from 18 yards out off a cross from Kendra Monroe in the second minute of the match.

“I wasn’t very pleased with the first half,” Varga said. “It should have been a lot better. We started poorly, giving up an early goal, but we responded well. I thought our second half was a lot better. They played with a lot more energy. We shared the ball a lot better, created some good chances and put some of them in the net.”

USA hits the road Friday to take on Alabama State in Montgomery, Ala. at 7 p.m.

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).