MOBILE, Ala. – Back on the winning track, the University of South Alabama soccer team will close out the 2016 regular-season campaign on the road with games at Georgia State and Appalachian State.

Friday's clash in Atlanta will start at 6 p.m. CDT, while Sunday's contest will start at 11 a.m. CDT.

"I think the team is full of confidence after a good few weekends," USA head coach Graham Winkworth said. "Two weekends ago we played very well, we just didn't get the luck of the draw. This past weekend, it was a complete weekend in the fact that we played well – particularly on Sunday – and were clinical in front goal and defending well. It was a good overall performance and hopefully we can take that momentum into the last weekend of the year."

The Jaguars (11-4-1, 6-2 SBC) snapped a two-game skid a week ago, defeating Texas State 2-1 on Friday and Coastal Carolina, who entered the contest leading the Sun Belt by four points, 4-1 on Sunday.

Six different players accounted for all six goals, and junior Rio Hardy (Workington, England) – the reigning Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week – took over the team lead with her sixth of the season by scoring the match winner against Coastal Carolina. USA's eight goals in the last three games matches the team's highest output in a three-game stretch all season, and has moved the Jaguars up to a tie for second in the league in scoring offense (1.69).

"It's important that we have different people scoring goals because it makes us more difficult to play against – we can score from all areas of the field," Winkworth said. "It reminds me of our attacking from last season. Combining that attacking with the defending that we've had this year, means we can be a real force if we can continue to keep our focus."

The Jags enter the weekend one point behind CCU, but has one game in hand, so two victories will clinch a third straight league crown.

"We'll just take one game at a time," Winkworth said. "It's an old cliché, but we're focused on Georgia State right now. Both of our opponents have a lot to play for so we know we'll be in for two very challenging matches.

"The girls know what the goals were at the beginning of the season – nothing's changed. We just have to make sure that we take this positive energy that we've had this past week into this weekend. We know we have the ability to beat both teams if we show up to our capabilities."

Georgia State (5-5-6, 2-3-4 SBC), winless in its last three games, is in a three-way for seventh in the league standings with 10 points. The Panthers are coming off a pair of 2-1 road losses to Little Rock and Arkansas State.

GSU is ninth in the league in scoring, but has recorded nine shutouts, which is tied for the top spot in the conference.

"They're pretty much a counterattacking team," Winkworth noted. "They put a lot of numbers behind the ball and have some fast players up top for the counterattack. We have to work hard in creating chances with our movement. We know we're in for a difficult game. It will be their senior day and we know what it's like to play on the road on senior days."

Appalachian State (7-7-2, 2-4-2) enters the weekend 10th in the league standings, but are 2-1 in their last three outings, picking up road wins against Louisiana-Monroe and Georgia Southern.

The Mountaineers rank in the top half of the Sun Belt in goals per game (1.38) – thanks to the league's leading scorer in Jane Cline – but are 10th in goals allowed (1.69) and goals against average (1.60).

Cline is first in the conference in points per game (1.12) and tied for first in goals per contest (0.50).

"It will be their senior day on Sunday as well," Winkworth said. "(Head coach) Sarah (Strickland) has done a good job and they've scored a lot of goals over the last couple of years, so we know we'll be challenged defensively, but we also feel like we're capable of scoring goals. With the confidence that we've got, we hope to be sitting here this time next week with another championship, but we've got a lot of work to do."

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).

—USA—