HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss capitalized on a University of South Alabama miscue in the 20th minute and held on for a 1-0 soccer victory Thursday evening at the USM Soccer Complex.

The Jags have their three-match win streak snapped and fall to 3-1-1. The Golden Eagles improve to 2-3.

GAME FACTS
- Freshman Bergdís Fanney Einarsdóttir had the game's first opportunity at 13:05, but her shot grazed the outside of the post
- Southern Miss got on the board at 19:04 thanks to Ariel Diaz, who stole the ball from a South Alabama defender just outside the box and crossed to Hailey Pohevitz who slotted it home from the penalty spot
- Graduate Chloe McGlade got loose inside the box at 32:20, but hit the crossbar
- Neither team hit the target in the second half and the Jaguars recorded the only two shots of the period
- Sophomore Brenna McPartlan deflected a header in the six-yard box in the 71st minute, but it was blocked
- USA outshot USM 8-5 on the game, and 3-2 in shots on goal
- Kendall Mindnich and Sarah Preston combined on the shutout for the Golden Eagles; senior Justice Stanford had two saves for the Jaguars

NOTES
- Southern Miss ends a five-match losing streak in the series, and defeats South Alabama for the first time since 2008
- Senior Briana Morris saw her six-game run with at least one point end
- All five of USM's games have been decided by one goal
- The five shots and three on goal are the fewest by a USA opponent in a loss since Troy had six and three, respectively, in 2016

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
Overall thoughts: "I thought Southern Miss did an exceptional job. They had a game plan, they executed and unfortunately we couldn't get into a rhythm. It seemed like we were a little bit off tonight."

On why the offense couldn't get going: "I don't want to make any excuses. Southern Miss has done an exceptional job. They've had some big results and they're able to press in a way and make things difficult and squeeze the game. When you can't get going in those first 10 minutes, you're playing catchup. They honestly didn't look like creating anything tonight; we were the ones that gave them a goal. It all just leads to the offense and why we can't get going. Again, we don't have any excuses, we just have to do better, collectively, as a coaching staff and players."

On one play deciding the game: "It happened to us before at Tennessee Tech but we were able to bounce back from it. The girls are told to play a certain way, so it's not their fault that we're losing the ball; they're doing what we're asking them to do. We just have to do it a little bit better. You can only play the game against what the team gives you. Unfortunately, they pressed us and we didn't have any other options. We couldn't play, we couldn't build and we didn't have another option. You put the Xs and Os aside, at the end of the day, they were first to every ball. That's where the game was won for them, not from us making a mistake. They just wanted it more."

On coming close so many times in the first half: "When they don't go in or the ball hits off the crossbar, you start thinking, Here we go. In fairness, our girls worked all the way down to the last minute and we never gave up. You can do a lot with a team like that. We kept fighting. Hopefully it's a wakeup call and we can bounce back with a good performance on Sunday."

UP NEXT
The Jaguars return to action Sunday with a road match at Southeastern Louisiana. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

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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