Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama freshman Danielle Henley (Hattiesburg, Miss.) recorded a pair of goals and the Jaguars held Nicholls State to just four shots in a 3-0 victory Sunday at The Cage.

USA bounces back from a tough loss on Friday to even its record at 1-1 on the season; Nicholls State also stands at 1-1.

"What character," Jaguar head coach Graham Winkworth said. "I keep stressing we're a young team and not used to playing with one another but we played together today. Nicholls is a very good team, a strong team.

"We've got to get used to each other's runs – we've got to learn the runs – and we can only teach so much in such a short space of time, but I think the more we get used to playing with one another, the better it will become from an aesthetic standpoint. I can't complain today; the effort was good, the soccer was good and the result was good too."

Henley and classmate Rio Hardy (Workington, England) combined for all three goals. Henley scored both of hers in the first 15 minutes, converting a shot from distance at 5:40, then controlling a corner kick from freshman Tiina Trutsi (Tallinn, Estonia) and drilling it home at 14:12.

Hardy scored her first collegiate goal shortly before halftime, converting a breakaway off a pass from freshman Alyssa Pejic (Pensacola, Fla.) at the 44:39 mark.

"They played excellent," Winkworth said. "Dan's first strike was with her left peg; the keeper nearly got to it but she managed to put it in the top corner. The second strike was a tidy finish under pressure, and then Rio's was on a 1-on-1. Those things are stressful when you go 1-on-1 with a goalkeeper and she was composed and put it away.

"We created a lot of quality chances today and hopefully we can continue to do that because the more good chances we create, hopefully the more goals we'll score."

The Jaguars were just as stout defensively, allowing just four shots total and none on goal. Freshman Courtney Baum (Cumming, Ga.) earned the win in her first collegiate start.

"We defended from front to back today," Winkworth stated. "Steffi (Hardy) and Nini (Rabsatt-Smith) were brilliant back there together today," Winkworth said. "Alyssa (Mayer) and Nikki (Shirtcliffe) too, and Emi (Passini) when she came on as well, were excellent in getting to their outside players—they had a lot of running to do out there and they did it very well and stayed organized. We stayed compact, were organized defensively and if we don't concede goals, we'll be very difficult to beat."

South Alabama stays in-state for next weekend's Trojan Classic, hosted by Troy. USA will face Tennessee Tech on Friday and Kennesaw State on Sunday.

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).

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