ATLANTA – A brace by freshman Kailey Littleford and a third goal put in by senior Ana Helmert put the University of South Alabama soccer team secured the top spot in the Sun Belt East Division as they defeated Georgia State, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at Center Parc Stadium.

A methodical approach by both teams kept offensive attacks at a minimum as both teams attempted to bait the other defense into breaking formation.

In the 25th minute, Littleford struck the opening goal. Assisted by junior Brenna McPartlan, Littleford beat a defender and pushed her shot just inside the left post. The score would stay the same through halftime. Seconds before the game had an hour elapsed, Littleford double the lead as she took advantage of an error in judgement by the Panthers' goalkeeper Jaddah Foos. Helmert put the final touches on the game as she scored with under 10 minutes remaining.

Despite the loss, Georgia State still secured second in the Sun Belt East division following the result, as Coastal Carolina lost its match earlier in the afternoon.

Game Facts
- Georgia State created a chance early as Grace Kiser put a shot on goal in the first four minutes, but Gudmundsdottir knocked the effort out of bounds for a corner. After that point, the Jaguar defense put on a clinic, not allowing a single shot on goal for the remaining 85 minutes.
- Methodical in attack, South scored on its second shot on goal after McPartlan found Littleford as she found the net to put the Jaguars in front after 25 minutes had been played. Neither team took a shot for the remaining 20 minutes of the first half.
- The second half saw each side making a similar conservative approach as USA did not want to leave the defense exposed and Georgia State did not want the Jaguar lead to grow.
- After just under 15 minutes, South took advantage of a mental error. Georgia State goal keeper Foos whiffed on attempted to stop Littleford's second shot of the game, and the advantage for USA doubled to 2-0.
- Maintaining a strategy that frustrated the Panthers, only two shots were attempted were attempted over the following 20 minutes, both by South.
- With nine minutes and 39 seconds left on the clock, Helmert scored the Jaguars' third goal after McPartlan provided the ball.
- USA kept the Panthers off the board for the remainder of the game, preserving the shutout.

NOTES
- South Alabama has won 10 of the last 11 meetings in the series with Georgia State.
- USA took wins in every road match this year
- Head coach Richard Moodie improves to 6-2 in rematch games against Sun Belt opponent following a loss in his tenure at South Alabama.
- This is the first weekend this season USA has held both opponents scoreless; previously the Jags got back-to-back shut outs over App State and Georgia Southern earlier in the year but as a matches on Sunday and the following Friday.
- Freshman Anita Gudmundsdottir has a 277-minute shutout streak to go along with the pair of clean sheets over the weekend.
- Littleford has points in back-to-back games with an assist Friday and goals in this game. The Birmingham, Ala., native has recorded eight points on the year which is the most by a freshman.
- The five points tallied by the freshman over a weekend is the most by a freshman since Gracie Wilson's five over the Sept. 27-29 games last year.
- Continuing the trend of freshman making an impact, Morgan White made her second career start in as many games with 87 minutes played Friday and 31 today.
- Junior Morgan Cross picked up her 10th point of the year off an assist on the second goal.
- Helmert has scored in two of the last three contests as she notched her fourth goal of the year.

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
- On The team's performance: "This was 100 percent the team's best performance. We were extremely well disciplined on the pitch. We attacked well whenever the chance was presented but without the ball we were structured defensively. I also thought the team handled the heat off the turf well."

- On Kailey Littleford: "She was phenomenal with a great performance today. She can be a top player in the league, and the coaches have echoed that. She took her chances today and the results were fantastic. She is a top-top player and person."

- On individual performances: "A few performances stand out, but it was a total team effort on the pitch today. Our defensive shape and structure looked good through the match and it starts with Leandra Flury, Gabrielle Gayle and [Anita] Gudmundsdottir."

Freshman Kailey Littleford
- On her goals: "I was playing at right midfield today and a pass went through for me to run onto it. I was one-on-one with a defender, shot it at the left post and it went in. The second goal I was in a similar position on the pitch, another through ball went past the defense, and the keeper charged but I beat her to it, rounder her and just tapped it in."

- On team performance: "Everyone performed well today. As a team, we had a good defensive shape, and when we had the chance to attack, everyone was willing to move forward. Every player on the pitch knew their responsibilities and the teams and we executed well."

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