Live Stats vs. Louisiana-Monroe | Live Stats vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

2012 ULM Quick Facts

2012 ULL Quick Facts

Sun Belt Conference Standings

MOBILE, Ala. – The lights are on and the cameras will be rolling in what is certain be the most dramatic weekend of Sun Belt Conference regular season soccer action, as seventh-place South Alabama is in a unique position to take crucial points in upcoming Louisiana matchups, while the league’s top six do battle over the next four days.
 
USA (7-8-2, 2-4-1 SBC) will head west to face Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday at 3 p.m., and then travel three hours north to take on the Ragin’ Cajuns at 1 p.m. on Sunday. USA’s final regular season match will be a home contest versus Troy on Friday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.
 
Having already faced the league’s top six squads, USA’s next three matchups are against teams below the Jags on the standings table, as ULL and Troy are currently tied at eighth with a single league win and four points apiece, and ULM’s three group points put the Warhawks ahead of last-place UALR, whom USA defeated 9-0 on the fifth of October.
 
Although South Alabama is only 1-6 on the road this season, USA has historically performed well against both Louisiana teams, having won all nine of its battles with ULM (4-12-0, 1-6-0 SBC), outscoring the Warhawks 20-2 dating back to the teams’ premier matchup in 1999, and registering a 6-3-3 all-time mark versus ULL (7-9-1, 1-5-1 SBC), highlighted by a 4-1-1 record in Lafayette.
 
The theatrics of the next four days lie in the top-tier matchups, beginning with the league’s top two respective squads, Middle Tennessee and North Texas, facing each other on Thursday, while fourth-place FIU and fifth-place Arkansas State meet on the same day. ULL and Troy also meet on the 18^th, with both teams attempting to break their current deadlock.
 
Sixth-place Florida Atlantic is likely to take three points from UALR, who is winless in the conference, on Thursday before traveling to Jonesboro to meet the Red Wolves in the league’s only Saturday afternoon affair. Third-place Western Kentucky will travel to North Texas on Sunday and will close its regular season on the 26^th at Middle Tennessee.
 
USA defeated FAU, 1-0, in late September two days after falling to FIU by a similar scoreline on a Jaguar own goal in the second half. USA battled ASU to a 0-0 double-overtime draw on Oct. 7.
 
“The team is focused and ready for the upcoming weekend,” USA head coach Mike Varga said. “We know that we are playing two quality opponents and we have put ourselves in a position of needing points this weekend.” 
 
The Jaguars are led offensively by junior midfielder Clarissa Hernandez, who most recently scored her fourth goal of the season against MTSU to give the Jags a 32-minute lead on the Blue Raiders before the home team drew even and then went ahead in only 25 seconds. Hernandez has also scored two game-winners in conference play. Sophomore Madison Rodwell is tied for fourth in league assists with three, an average of 0.43 per game.
 
In conference team offensive statistics, USA is fifth in points (31), goals (11), goals per game (1.57), assists (9) and assist per game (1.29). Defensively, the Jaguars are tied for second in shutouts with three and fourth in saves (56). USA keeper Melissa Drish has recorded 2.1 shutouts in six league matches for an average of 0.35 per. Her save percentage is fourth-best in the SBC (.842) and her saves per game average is sixth-best (5.33).
 
Kickoff for Thursday’s match is slated for 4 p.m., and Sunday’s match will begin at 1 p.m. Results will be posted to the Jaguar athletics webpage immediately following each match. Live Stats can be found via the links above.
 
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).