MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama women's soccer defeated Mississippi State, 3-2, at The Cage on Friday behind a Lauren Allison double and Jordan Duncan's game-winner in front of the largest crowd ever recorded at the Jaguar soccer ground.
 
Seven hundred and forty-two were gathered to see USA defeat the Bulldogs for the first time in five chances since 2001, coincidentally the last time the Jaguars took down a Southeastern Conference opponent.
 
Even more, USA head coach Graham Winkworth earned his first win at the NCAA Division I level.
 
"Since I've been here, I'm so proud of the way the girls have worked for me," Winkworth said. "Since day one, they've really given me the chance to get the most out of them, and I'm so proud of how much they ran today.
 
"One thing I promised the crowd was that you will see a bunch of girls that will run, and they have run their socks off for me," he added.
 
In her first-ever collegiate appearance, Allison put the hosts ahead 10 minutes ahead of halftime by touching past an exposed Bulldog keeper and finishing off a measured long ball from fellow winger Alyssa Mayer.
 
After dictating the run of play in the first period, the Jaguars sputtered after the interval, and Mississippi State's Shannen Jainudeen equalized in the 50^th minute by heading a Morganne Grimes free kick straight from the hands of USA keeper Melissa Drish.
 
South Alabama wasted no time in response, however, when Jordan Duncan laid off for Allison in the area after a spell of clinical Jag midfield play, making it 2-1. Duncan doubled the host advantage less than five minutes later, chesting home a Tatum Perry cross from the opposing byline. The goals for both Allison and Duncan were the first of their respective careers.
 
The Bulldogs drew closer with less than 10 minutes on the clock when Elisabeth Sullivan cleaned up a spilled cross from Drish, cutting the USA advantage to a single goal, but the Jaguars resisted any further damage to see the match out.
 
USA outshot Mississippi State, 22-17, in the match and held a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks. Allison and Nini Rabsatt-Smith each delivered five shots on Friday, while Drish made eight saves on the night.
 
USA now looks towards a Sunday afternoon match against Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La. The Jags are 6-0 all-time versus the Colonels.
 
"It's important that we start to focus on Sunday, because last year we struggled in the heat and on the road," Winkworth said. "But it's also important that the girls enjoy tonight, experience the feeling of winning. Hopefully, they'll develop the right attitude and do this again."
 
Results from Sunday's match will be provided on USA's athletics webpage, USAJaguars.com, immediately after the event. Live stats for the match can be found here.

Match: USA vs. Mississippi State
Date: August 23, 2013
Competition: Regular Season
Venue: The Cage (Mobile, Ala.)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. CT
Attendance: 742
Weather: 79 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary:   1   2    F
MSU                            0   2    2
USA                            1   2    3

USA – Lauren Allison (Alyssa Mayer) – 35^th minute
MSU – Shannen Jainudeen (Morganne Grimes) – 50^th minute
USA – Lauren Allison (Jordan Duncan) – 57^th minute
USA – Jordan Duncan (Tatum Perry) – 61^st minute
MSU – Elisabeth Sullivan (unassisted) – 83^rd minute

Starting Lineups:
USA : 13-Melissa Drish (GK); 5-Nini Rabsatt-Smith; 6-Kristyn Thacker; 7-Lauren Allison; 10-Clarissa Hernandez; 12-Monique Autmon; 15-Jordan Duncan; 22-Shelby Owen; 23-Morgan Motes; 24-Jess Oram; 26-Rylee Hart
Head Coach: Graham Winkworth

MSU : 33-CJ Winship (GK); 2-Elisabeth Sullivan; 3-Jamila Coner; 6-Morganne Grimes; 8-Kayla Puzas; 9-Annebel ten Broeke; 10-Shelby Jordan; 14-Addie Tomlin; 17-Shannen Jainudeen; 18-Darbi Filliben; 23-Dana Forbes
Head coach: Aaron Gordon

Stats Summary: USA / MSU
Shots: 22 / 17
Saves: 10 / 6
Offsides: 2 / 0
Corner Kicks: 9 / 4
Fouls: 10 / 11

Misconduct Summary:
none
 
Officials: 
Head Referee: Uwe Tittl
Assistant Referee 1: Eric Ackermann
Assistant Referee 2: Dino Andrianopoulos
Alternate Official: Rainier Kelly
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).