MOBILE, Ala. – A goal from LSU's Marlena Cutura in the 31st minute was the difference as the Tigers held off the University of South Alabama soccer team 1-0 at the Jaguar Classic Thursday night at The Cage.

LSU wins its third straight to improve to 3-1; the Jaguars fall to 2-2.

GAME FACTS
- The Tigers recorded the first seven shots of the contest and put four of them on goal
- USA finally registered its first shot in the 24th minute and freshman Moa Öhman had two in a six-second span, but neither found the target
- In the 31st minute, LSU worked the ball into the 18-yard box and took advantage of a poor clearance that went right to Cutura; Cutura's shot from 22 yards went off the underside of the crossbar and bounced in
- The Jaguars tested LSU goalkeeper Caroline Brockmeier twice in the final seven minutes of the half but was unable to tie the game
- After LSU forced junior Justice Stanford into a couple of saves just after halftime, South Alabama recorded five of the next six shots, the final one coming from freshman Brenna McPartlan at 64:39 that made Brockmeier leave her feet to maintain the lead
- Freshman Ellie Kane's shot with 14:55 left in the contest was South Alabama's final attempt on goal; the Jags had three corner kicks and one shot in the final 10 minutes but was unable to seriously threaten
- Stanford made a season-high eight saves in net for the Jags; Brockmeier had six stops

NOTES
- South Alabama is the midst of a four-game stretch against SEC opponents; on Sunday, the Jaguars take on Ole Miss, who defeated Troy 5-2 earlier in the day at The Cage
- USA has lost back-to-back games for the first time since Sept. 1, 2017, and has been shutout in consecutive outings in the same season for the first time since 2016
- LSU now leads the series 6-5 and avenges a 4-0 loss to South Alabama in the 2015 NCAA Tournament
- Freshman Morgan Cross made her first career start

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
On the loss: "We've got to put our hand up and accept the responsibility. I thought it was a weak goal to concede; we had players around her but we weren't able to apply pressure. She was able to get a free shot off and we're pressing for 45 minutes trying to win the game. If we had that same response at kickoff, I think we would have been in the game for 90 minutes and it might have been different."

On any positives: "We have a lot of things to work on. We're young and we just have to keep them together and stay positive. This is a tough schedule for a group of youngsters. If you were to say that we'd have as many freshmen on the field today as we did and take an SEC team all the way to 90 minutes, that's great, but we need to win these games. We should beat an LSU."

On the team's play late in the game: "We had trouble with game management. There were times where the clock's winding down, we've got a corner kick and we play it short instead of serving it in the box where we're more dangerous. Even there when the ball's rolled back to the goalkeeper, we're letting her waste time. That comes with being around the collegiate game. We're growing up day by day, we just have to grow quicker going into these next three games before conference."

On Stanford's play: "I don't blame her for the goal. As a unit collectively in front of her, there are two red shirts next to (Cutura) when she strikes the ball and we're not even challenging her. Justice was fantastic all night. We've had struggles as a unit trying to defend and understand that there were a lot of gaps between our back four and our midfield tonight. I think that's where they exploited us in the first half. It wasn't evident in the second half because we were pressing and fighting."

UP NEXT
The Jaguars wrap up their home swing Sunday at 1:30 p.m. against Ole Miss.

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).

Join the Upper 90 Club, the soccer specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  All gifts to the Upper 90 Club go directly to support the South Alabama soccer program.  For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/upper90

—USA—