MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama soccer team scored 3 second-half goals to overcome Appalachian State Mountaineers, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at The Cage.

Seniors Deanna Green and Ana Helmert, as well as graduate students Tabea Griss and Athanasia Moraitou, were honored in a ceremony prior to the start of the match. Three of the four started for the Jaguars this afternoon, while conspicuous with her absence, Moraitou was in transit to join the Greece Women's National Team for European Championship qualification.

South got the scoring started after sophomore Gracie Wilson earned a penalty shoot for the Jaguars when she was taken down in the goal box. Junior Brenna McPartlan strode up and side-footed the ball along the ground and into the back of the net from the spot. Five minutes later Ana Helmert added a second goal, and following that, Wilson added a third goal with 25 minutes left in the match.

Appalachian State falls to 2-8-1 on the year with a 2-6 record in conference play. The Mountaineer goal keeper Kerry Eagleston was able to keep the Jaguars in check with nine first-half saves, but none in the second half.

Game Facts
- It was a tepid start as there was a combined two shots in the first 24 minutes of the match, with each team taking one of the pair.  Wilson forced Eagleston to make a save while App State's Olivia Cohen was wide of the frame on her attempt.
- In the 34th minute, USA was poised to take the lead as a corner kick produced three shots on goal in less than a minute for the Jags. Two efforts from McPartlan with a header from Griss inbetween were directed at goal, but the Mountaineer net minder was in position to halt all three.
- McPartlan knocked two more at goal and Wilson shot one to close out the half, but South was held scoreless going into the intermission.
- USA started making offensive changes at halftime that quickly became apparent. While no shots were recorded early, through balls started leaking behind the Mountaineer back line, with either Eagleston recovering the loose balls or defenders sprinting and only able to clear the ball away from attacking Jaguars.
- In the 55th minute, Wilson got past the defense and was bearing down on goal one-on-one with the goal keeper. A retreating defender caught up to the midfielder's back and attempted to slide tackle her off the ball in the goal box, in a manner which the referee deemed a foul, awarding South a penalty kick. McPartlan placed the ball and as Eagleston dove to her right, the Lancashire, England native calm side-footed the ball along the ground into the right side of the goal (1-0).
- As the Mountaineers were forced to shift players forward to attack, Helmert increased the advantage. With a maneuver that started in the backline, the Jaguars worked the ball as Wilson connected with Helmert around 25 yards out from goal. As Helmert turned to shoot, defenders closed as she danced around a couple before staring down an open net with only the goalkeeper to beat. The team captain slotted the ball into the net cleanly to double the lead, 2-0.
- After earning a penalty and distributing the ball to Helmert for the second goal, Wilson got her name on the scoresheet for the third. USA center back Gabrielle Gayle had the ball end up at her feet as the back line was working the ball to adjust the point of attack. The Spanish Town, Jamaica, native lobbed a long cross down the right side for Green. The senior from Madison, Miss., launched a cross from the attacking-right side of the pitch that Wilson put in for the third goal.
- Freshman Morgan White looked to add a fourth for USA with nine minutes remaining when she belted a shot toward goal from over 25 yards away, but the ball sailed wide of the left upper 90 by about a foot.
- USA protected the goal and controlled possession for most of the final few minutes to preserve the clean sheet.

Notes
- After sweeping the season matches with Appalachian State, South Alabama has won its seventh straight in the series with the Mountaineers.
- The 3-0 score line is identical to the score earlier this year, with both sets of goals taking place in just over a 10-minute span in the second half both times: 10:28 for the game at Boone and 10:02 in today's match.
- McPartlan added to her team-leading goal total, which now stands at five.
- While the junior from Lancashire, England has not scored since the previous Appalachian State match, she has been active in distributing assists, as she added her third for the season.
- The center defensive midfield also moved into the top five for career game-winning goals with eight total. She is tied with Linda Larsson and Brandi Smith with Rebecca Kahn sitting one position above with nine.
- Gayle made her ninth start in nine matches, and picked up her first career point as a Jaguar with an assist on the third goal.
- Green connected on her second assist this season, both from crosses into the goal box.
- Helmert and Wilson collected their third goal of the year, respectively and are now tied with junior Morgan Cross for second on the team.

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
- On the match: "The first half, I thought we were second best. We had to have a little go at them at halftime about the effort and the response from Friday. We [the coaching staff] were looking for more of a reaction in the first half and we never got it. Second half the team worked harder, but effort is expected when they step on the field. When teams come to The Cage, we need to get out of this mindset that teams can work harder than us. It's a home field, we have to make it a fort. When we have the effort, we have the quality but it was a good response from Friday's game but we are still unfinished and have to get better in practice for next week's games."

- The second half response: "I think it was just self-realization that they were underperforming. We have an amazing group of student-athletes. In and out of practice they are a fun group to be around, but for some reason what we have to figure out is during the weekend they seem to freeze in the spotlight. I think that simplifying the game, working hard, finding the simple things and doing them well, that's what the difference was in the second half."

Senior Forward Ana Helmert
On the game: "We had a rough first half, but at halftime we had a serious heart-to-heart, we came out in the second half with [playing like] it being us versus ourselves and just trying to work hard for each other to get the win today."

On senior day: "It means a lot. I have spent many, many days and many weekends on this field and it feels good to have one more."

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