MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama sophomore
Moa Öhman lifted a header over the Arkansas State goalkeeper with 31.7 seconds left in double overtime to give the Jaguars a 1-0 victory Sunday afternoon at The Cage.
The Jaguars rebound from their first Sun Belt Conference loss of the season to improve to 4-1-1 in the league and 9-3-2 overall. The Red Wolves fall to 7-5-1 and 3-2-1.
GAME FACTS
- The Jaguars outshot the Red Wolves 15-2 in the opening period, including a 6-0 margin in shots on goal, but was unable put one past Arkansas State goalkeeper Megan McClure
- Junior
Ana Helmert put a shot on target just 55 seconds into the second half, and junior
Deanna Green hit the cross bar in the 52nd minute
- Senior
Justice Stanford kept the Jaguars in the game in the dying seconds of regulation, tipping a shot from Sarah Sodoma wide
- Stanford made a point-blank save with just under a minute left in the first overtime, again denying Sodoma, and a follow attempt was blocked
- The Jags made a last-minute push in double overtime; graduate
Tabea Griss lifted a left-footed cross into the box and Öhman deflected it over a hard-charging McClure
- McClure finished the contest with 12 saves and Stanford had four
- Senior
Briana Morris and freshman
Gracie Wilson had a team-high five shots each; Morris put three of hers on goal
NOTES
- Today's game was a matchup between two of the three teams tied for first in the Sun Belt standings; Troy won today, putting them tied for first with South Alabama
- Stanford's clean sheet was the 30th of her career, tying her for fourth in conference history with Danielle Wiley of Denver; Stanford's next shutout will tie her for third with Troy's Mikki Lewis
- Stanford has six shutouts this season, tying her total from all of 2018
- USA leads the series 15-3-3 and is 7-1-2 since losing two straight from 2009-10
- South Alabama's 13 shots on goal are tied for the second-most this season
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
Overall thoughts: "First off, I'm really proud of the girls and their efforts; they play all the way to the final whistle. The most important thing, though, is we have to figure out how we make these games where we could have scored two or three early on, and make them easier. As the game went on, you got the feeling that we were going down a path that we've traveled already. We believed all the way to the end so I'm proud we got out with a win, but we'll go back and figure out how we can convert more of these chances."
On not being able to break through until the end despite 33 shots: "What do you do? It's not like the girls aren't putting in the work. We've had to adapt this week with a couple of changes in personnel. You're not the same and things are a little bit different. I'm not saying one player makes us better, but we've had to make some adjustments – like all teams have to do this time of year – and we've done it well. This game could have easily been five or six, and they could have won, but the scoreline is what it is."
On Stanford: "Again, I'll argue that she's the best goalkeeper in the league. She won us the game, or at least she made sure we didn't lose it today. She's a true leader, a huge asset and a senior, so she'll be a tough one to replace. It can't go left unsaid that we have extremely good goalkeepers that allow Justice to be better in practice. If we didn't have the goalkeepers that we have, Justice wouldn't be pushed. We have goalkeepers that could step in and play Division I soccer and would do great, it's just that Justice keeps edging ahead because of how she's been pushed."
UP NEXT
The Jaguars start a road trip Friday at 6 p.m. CDT against Georgia Southern.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. 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
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