PENSACOLA, Fla. – Five University of South Alabama women’s soccer players, competing this summer in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) with the Pensacola, Fla.-based Gulf Coast Texans, will lead their team into the semifinals of the league championships on Saturday at the team’s own Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex.
 
Jess Oram, Shawn Meach, Clarissa Hernandez, Morgan Motes and Jaguar newcomer Lauren Arnold helped guide the Texans to a 7-0-0 regular-season mark and a Southeastern Conference title, which earned the team a final-four berth to the WPSL Championships. The Texans will take on Salt Lake (Utah) United in the semifinals at 4 p.m. on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the tournament finals, slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Oram was named all-conference following the Texans conference championship match – a 4-3 defeat over the Georgia Revolution last Sunday in Pensacola. Texan head coach David Kemp praised Oram’s efforts this season and explained the successful impact that the South Alabama players have had for his team.
 
“Jess has done very well for us, playing almost every minute to keep our back line strong,” said Kemp. “Our organization is very fortunate to have the relationship we do with USA head coach Mike Varga and assistant coach Brian Diaz. They recommended these players to us and we are fortunate to have them in our squad.”
 
Varga commented on not only the success his players are having in competing with a high-level team during the offseason, but also on the impact that the Texans are having on local soccer enthusiasm.
 
“It has been a great experience for five of our student-athletes to play in the WPSL this summer with the Gulf Coast Texans,” said Varga. “The commitment of the Texans to field a team that competes in the WPSL has been great for not only our student-athletes, but the local soccer community.  It is a wonderful experience for our student-athletes and it helps prepare them for our season. Hopefully the local soccer community will head to Pensacola this weekend and watch some high-level matches.”
 
Oram, Meach and Hernandez started all 20 games for the 12-5-3 Lady Jags last season, while Motes was given a starting nod in 17 of the 18 games she played. Oram logged the most minutes played for any Jaguar in 2011 with 1,841 total, Meach recorded a goal and an assist, Hernandez tallied three goals and five assists and Motes delivered five helpers.
 
Arnold, a 2012 signee, joins the Jaguar squad after spending the previous two years in goal for Clemson. Last season, Arnold recorded 42 saves in 16 games for the Tigers. As a freshman, Arnold led the ACC in saves per game with a 4.94 average. She also tallied 89 saves in 1495 minutes in goal. Arnold was a 2009 ESPN high school All-American, the Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in the state of Alabama and the Alabama state Player-of-the-Year. She was a member of the 2009 6A Alabama high school state championship team at Spain Park High School, where she was named to the Alabama high school all-star team.
 
The WPSL is a 60-plus team national league with five conferences and is the largest women's soccer league in the world. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). More information concerning the Gulf Coast Texans Soccer Club, including directions to the Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex, can be found here.
 
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).