Live Stats vs. Southern Miss

Live Stats vs. UAB

Game Notes

MOBILE, Ala. – Fresh off a Trojan Classic tournament championship last weekend in Troy, University of South Alabama women's soccer will next embark on the final leg of its five-match road streak, taking on regional opponents Southern Miss on Friday and UAB on Sunday.
 
The 600-mile trip will pit the Jaguars against two Conference USA foes that, not unlike themselves, have won three of their first four matches, all clubs recording their best starts in several years.
 
Subplots aplenty surround USA's initial weekend matchup in Hattiesburg, with each team carrying a 3-0-1 record and facing the possibility of its first loss. Both clubs are piloted by first-year head coaches, and Golden Eagle boss Mohammed El-Zare will be facing his former club, where he served as an assistant for nine years, for the first time as a head coach.
 
USA is 7-4 all-time versus the Golden Eagles and 2-2 in Hattiesburg.
 
UAB defeated the Jaguars, 2-0, in the teams' only meeting in 2003. The Blazers rallied for two second half goals to hand USA its first loss at the NIKE UAB Classic at West Campus Field in Birmingham.
 
Jaguar freshman forward Lauren Allison currently leads her club with five goals only three appearances. USA owns the best record in the Sun Belt Conference and will look to build on a 15-5-3 record against non-conference opponents dating back to the start of the 2011 season.
 
The Jaguars went undefeated at the 2013 Trojan Classic after shutout defeats of Jackson State and Louisiana Tech in Troy last weekend. USA opened the tournament with a 5-0 thrashing of the Tigers by way of braces from freshman Lauren Allison and senior Tatum Perry and a late strike from Maha Maarouf.
 
On Sunday, Allison sank her fifth tally of the year, a league-leading figure, and USA's defense was firm in weathering the Lady Techsters late rally for a narrow 1-0 road victory.
 
Goalkeeper Melissa Drish, who was credited with both shutouts on the weekend, earned all-tournament honors, as did Allison and defender Rylee Hart.
 
Allison was also named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week by College Sports Madness on Tuesday for her efforts.
 
SCOUTING SOUTHERN MISS
After opening its season with a 2-2, double-overtime draw versus Arkansas State, the Golden Eagles (3-0-1) have reeled off three successive victories, outscoring opponents 15-0 in the spree. First-year head coach Mohammed El-Zare has directed his club to the program's best start since 2008, made possible by a golden-goal victory over Southeastern Louisiana in Hattiesburg last Sunday.
 
The Golden Eagles have outscored their opponents, 17-2, on the year and are averaging four-and-a-half goals and just over 28 shots per game. Senior forward Danica Roberts leads the club in scoring with four goals, followed by Chelsea Cruthirds and Brooke Hendrix, owners of two apiece. Senior forward Mischa Tice has delivered three assists on the year.
 
Lindsay Schwaner is 2-0 between the sticks and has allowed only two goals in 225 minutes of play, also sporting a .778 save percentage, while Brittany Taylor is 1-0-1 with a perfect save percentage in just over 169 minutes.
  Junior forward Kristyn Thacker scored her second and third goals of the season as the Jags dealt Southern Mississippi a 2-0 defeat at The Cage.
 
The Jags doubled Southern Mississippi's shot total in the first half - firing eight times and forcing Golden Eagle keeper Lindsay Schwaner into four saves – but, once again, could not break through before the half. USA weathered four consecutive USM shots before junior midfielder Morgan Motes found Thacker streaking down the left side on the eve of the 59th minute, and two inside cuts later, Thacker crushed a right-footed shot into the far upper-90 to make it 1-0.
 
A series of substitutions followed, and again, USM turned up the heat, firing another four consecutive shots on the USA defense, but with its numbers high up the field, USM's defense was spread too thin, leaving Thacker open again on the wing, this time found on an identical ball from midfielder Shawn Meach. Thacker received the long pass on the left side of the area, took one touch and doubled the Jaguar lead with a calm bottom-shelf finish to seal the game in the 87th minute. USA outshot Southern Miss 17-15 on the night.
 
SCOUTING UAB
UAB defeated Vanderbilt to kickstart the best season premier it's had since 2009 at 3-1. The Blazers fell to NSCAA/Continental Tire poll vote recipients Ole Miss, 5-2, before reeling off consecutive victories over Francis Marion and South Carolina State at the Sleep Inn Classic, hosted by the latter in Orangeburg, S.C.
 
Abby Phillips, Sam Bradford and Paige Hanks have each knotted two scores apiece, while Phillips and Megan Collins have also provided two helpers. Angelica Jimenez has spent every minute between the posts this year UAB, recording a single shutout and a .652 save percentage.
 
The Blazers are currently ranked second in Conference USA East Division standings, while Southern Miss is also runner-up in the West.
  UAB rallied for two second half goals to down University of South Alabama women's soccer in the clubs' first and only meeting in 2003 at the NIKE UAB Classic.
 
Jenny Rynders knock in a long cross from Liz Bosscher in the 59th minute to put the Blazers up one, and Tara Kidwell converted in the 77th to double the host advantage.
 
Former Jaguar keeper Amber Angermeier stopped 11 shots of UAB's 26 total shots. USA attempted seven on the day, more than half produced by sophomore midfielder Rebecca Kahn.
 
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).