MOBILE, Ala. – Following a split of its first two matches, the University of South Alabama soccer team will face a pair of opponents this weekend at the Trojan Classic hosted by Troy.

The Jaguars will take on Tennessee Tech Friday at 1 p.m. and Kennesaw State Sunday at noon. Live stats for both matches will be available on the Troy athletics web site.

South Alabama bounced back from a frustrating last-second loss to UAB in the season opener to shut out Nicholls State 3-0.

"I feel good that we've started playing better soccer," USA head coach Graham Winkworth said. "I knew we were going to because of the quality that we've got. We're starting to understand each other a little bit more on the field than we did a week ago and we'll continue to grow every week. I don't know much about Kennesaw State or Tennessee Tech, but I feel good about our team and that's where my focus is going into this weekend."

After giving up 22 shots to the Blazers, the Jags' defensive effort shut down the Colonels, allowing just four shots with none on goal. USA outshot NSU 20-4 for the match, including 15-3 in the first half alone.

"Defensively, I think everybody from front to back defended well," Winkworth said. "We're a team and we defend as a team, so the forwards worked extremely hard closing down in the right places, the defenders were very solid and the midfielders pressured too. Defensively I thought we played well as a whole, as one unit."

Winkworth has featured 10 freshmen on the field through the first two matches, with newcomers accounting for all four goals and three of the team's four assists. Danielle Henley (Hattiesburg, Miss.) recorded a brace in the first 15 minutes vs. Nicholls State, and Rio Hardy (Workington, England) and Chardé Hannah (Tupelo, Miss.) have also found the back of the net.

"They've done fantastic," Winkworth said of his freshmen. "It's tough to go in against girls that are two, three or sometimes four years older than you when you've never played a college game. We looked nervous as times but I think the more the weekend went on, the more comfortable we got and some of the freshmen started to express themselves and show why they're South Alabama soccer players and didn't go to a less-quality program. They can play here and they really started to show that. I was very proud of them this weekend."

Neither opponent this weekend has a victory to their credit, with Tennessee Tech entering the tournament with an 0-1 mark after a 5-1 loss to East Tennessee State, and Kennesaw State holding an 0-1-1 record, losing 5-1 at Alabama and tying Georgia State 1-1.

"I don't know much about either team but I know they're both well-coached," Winkworth said. "Coach (Steve) Springthorpe (at Tennessee Tech) has a good resume and has coached at some big institutions like North Carolina State, so I'm sure he'll bring that experience to Tennessee Tech. Rob King at Kennesaw State has been there a long time now. He's won a Division II national championship and he's got a good setup there in Kennesaw. He has a lot of good players to pick from in the state of Georgia. I know they have a lot of new internationals so I'm expecting a good game."

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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