2012 Southern Miss Quick Facts
 
2012 Louisiana Tech Quick Facts

Live Stats
 
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women’s soccer team will host Conference-USA rival Southern Mississippi and the Western Athletic Conference’s Louisiana Tech this weekend to mark the final two Jaguar home games versus non-conference opponents this season.
 
South Alabama (3-3-0, 0-0-0 SBC) earned a boost of confidence on Tuesday, as the Jags defeated in-state foe Alabama State 2-0 at The Cage, tallying 40 shots against the Lady Hornet (1-4-0, 0-0-0 SWAC) defense, while allowing only eight. In her first appearance this season, junior Kristyn Thacker started and scored the opening goal, and freshman Madison Rodwell netted her first collegiate finish shortly after.
 
Thacker returns after recording three goals and two assists in 14 appearances in 2011, tying for fourth on the squad in total points (8). The Ellenwood, Ga., native also netted five goals during her freshman year in 2010.
 
After dropping its previous two matches to Southeastern Conference opponents Mississippi State and Alabama by scorelines of 5-0 and 9-0, respectively, the Jaguars will look to reproduce the proficiency in attack it recently showed against ASU as it exhausts the non-conference portion of its 2012 schedule. Next weekend (Sept. 14 & 16), USA will travel to Clarksville, Tenn., to take on Austin Peay State and Murray, Ky., to face Murray State.
 
Versus Southern Miss, the Jags are 6-4-0 all-time and 4-2-0 in Mobile. The most recent meeting was in 2009, when the Jags blanked the Golden Eagles 3-0 for a season-opening victory in Hattiesburg. USA head coach Mike Varga holds a 4-4-0 coaching record against USM.
 
The Golden Eagles are currently 2-1-1 with wins over Sun Belt Conference opponent Louisiana-Monroe and Southeastern Louisiana. Southern Miss defeated ULM 4-1, shooting 29 times, while allowing the Ragin’ Cajuns only three chances. USM tied Mercer 1-1 in double overtime to open the season on Aug. 17, two days before the Bears defeated South Alabama 1-0 in Macon, Ga.
 
Southern Miss is led by junior forward Danica Roberts, who scored twice against ULM. The Golden Eagles return 19 letterwinners from a 2011 season in which they finished 4-13-3 (1-9-1, C-USA). USM was winless on the road last year in nine road matches.
 
Louisiana Tech exploded to a 4-0-0 start this season, but went 0-1-1 at the Trojan Classic last weekend, playing Troy (4-2-1, 0-0-0 SBC) to a scoreless, double-overtime draw and losing in the tournament championship to Jacksonville State, 1-0.
 
The all-time series between USA and the Lady Techsters is tied at 1-1. South Alabama will look to avenge a 2011 season-opening loss to Louisiana Tech in Ruston. The premier showdown between the schools occurred in 2004, when the Lady Jags downed LA-Tech 12-0 in Mobile, the fifth-highest margin of victory in Jaguar history and the most goals a USA team has scored since.
 
Rosie Lethbridge leads the Lady Techsters in points (8) on three goals and two assists. Emily Brennan and Heather Fitzgerald have also scored three goals for Tech. Keeper Caitlin Updyke has recorded four shutouts in 470:00 minutes between the sticks. Four Louisiana Tech student-athletes have earned WAC Player-of-the-Week honors thus far this season.
 
Kickoff for Friday’s match is set for 7 p.m., and Sunday’s match is slated for 1 p.m. All home soccer matches throughout the season will be free to all attendees. The Cage is located on Old Shell Road just east of Stanky Field.
 
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).