MOBILE, Ala. – An early Troy goal was enough as the Trojans ended two University of South Alabama soccer team unbeaten runs Friday night at The Cage.

Troy ends a four-match winless streak and improves to 6-6-3 overall and 2-2-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Jaguars drop to 9-3-1 and 4-1.

"All credit to Troy. They showed up today and really wanted to win the game," USA head coach Graham Winkworth said. "It's a big local derby, as far as I'm concerned; an all-Alabama affair. All credit to Coach (Jason) Hamilton and his Troy girls because they showed up and they really wanted it today. I've got to do a better job of preparing our girls to show up with the same sort of intensity that they did.

"They defended extremely well. I felt like we came out with a little more intensity in the second half – we talked about it at halftime – and we needed to move the ball a little quicker than we did. In the second half we started to do that, but we weren't creative enough today. We didn't have enough intensity; we were second to most balls – first balls, second balls, 10th balls – and that's my fault. I've got to work hard with the girls tomorrow to make sure we bounce back and put in a stronger performance on Sunday because we weren't good enough today. That's on me."

The loss is South Alabama's first to a Sun Belt team in 33 games, dating back to a 1-0 loss to Troy on Oct. 20, 2013. It also ended a seven-match win and shutout streak for the Jags; the seven consecutive clean sheets were a school record.

"To put things in perspective, we lost 1-0 to a very good team; three years ago we lost 1-0 to a very good team," Winkworth said. "We've gone 33 conference matches in postseason and regular-season play (without a loss). I'll take one defeat every three years and I think we can cope with that. If that's what's going to happen the next three years, then we're in for a very good period as well.

"It's disappointing, but at the same time, I think what we've done over the last few years is a huge credit to the girls and my staff. Hopefully we can show how we deal with adversity on Sunday and towards the end of the season."

Troy's goal came at the 6:06 mark when a failed South Alabama clearance off a cross went straight to Kiersten Edlund. Edlund collected the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and placed her shot in the right side of the net.

The goal was the first allowed by the Jags in the opening half all season.

"Once they scored the first goal they were a little more defensive minded and didn't attack us as much," Winkworth said. "To be honest, our defense hasn't been tested enough over the past few weeks, and went into the game not prepared for a big rival like Troy, so we were a little nonchalant and were punished for that."

USA won the shot battle 13-6 – including 6-2 in the second half – and had seven corner kicks to Troy's one. Sophomore Jemma Purfield (Cottingham, England) put three of her four shots on net.

Mikki Lewis made five saves for the Trojans, while freshman Justice Stanford (The Colony, Texas) made two saves and allowed the one goal, her first in over 636 minutes, a new school record.

South Alabama turns around and hosts Louisiana-Lafayette Sunday at 1 p.m.

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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