10/09/05–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGUARS COMPLETE WEEKEND SWEEP WITH 2-0 VICTORY
OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY
CONTACT:
Kit Strief
Box
Score
MOBILE, Ala. - The
University of South Alabama improved to 4-2 in the Sun Belt Conference
with a 2-0 blanking of Western Kentucky on Sunday at “The
Cage”. USA improves to 6-4-1 overall, while Western Kentucky
falls to 3-6-3 and 1-1-1 in conference play.
“That
was as big of a weekend as I can remember coaching here,”
Jaguars head coach Mike Varga said. “Winning against two teams
that were picked higher than us to start the year is pretty big.”
The Jaguars
opened the weekend with a 2-1 victory over Middle Tennessee on Fri.,
Oct. 7. USA followed that performance with the 2-0 shutout of WKU
on Sunday.
The game opened
as a back-and-forth affair as both teams had their chances to take
the early lead, but neither team was able to do so. The Jaguars
had an early shot, but the second shot of the game did not come
until the 38th minute into the contest. The Jaguars subbed in sophomore
Shoshana Sevel in the 38th minute and four minutes later she provided
the game winner off an assist from sophomore Jennifer Beckwith.
Sevel put the ball past WKU goalkeeper, Meredith Goodson, off the
right side from about six yards out. It was the third goal by the
Jaguars off a corner kick this season and the second career goal
for Sevel.
USA held the
1-0 advantage at halftime as USA out shot the Lady Toppers 5-0 in
the opening half. USA also had a 3-0 lead in corner kicks.
The second half
began with the Lady Toppers taking the early momentum. WKU pressed
the ball in the Jaguars’ end relentlessly for the first 20
minutes of the half. WKU had five corner kicks in the second half,
after recording zero in the first.
USA’s
defense stepped up in the second half as Lauren Carstens had a good
look at the goal, but a USA defender stepped in front of the shot
to prevent the goal. Off the ensuing change of possession, senior
Tanya Allegretti scored her second goal of the season and second
goal in as many games to give USA a 2-0 lead. Allegretti lifted
a ball over the head of Goodson from about 15 yards out in the 75th
minute.
WKU would not
go away though. The Lady Toppers continued to fight hard and had
possible scoring opportunity with a breakaway two-on-one advantage
but were called for offsides.
USA improves
its unbeaten home record to 6-0-1 with the victory. The Jaguars
begin their longest road swing of the season on Fri., Oct. 14 at
Troy. USA dips out of conference on Sun., Oct. 16 at Southeastern
Louisiana. The Jaguars return to “The Cage” on Sun.,
Oct. 30 against Alabama State in the regular season finale.
|
