University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Soccer Opens C-USA Play on the Road
9/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss soccer team hits the road to open up Conference USA play against Rice and North Texas. The Golden Eagles begin the 2014 conference slate with a game against the Owls on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7:00 p.m. before concluding the weekend versus the Mean Green on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 1:00 p.m.
Southern Miss enters the weekend with a 5-4-0 overall record. The Golden Eagles posted a 4-1-0 nonconference record at home, but were just 1-3-0 in road games.
Defensively, the Golden Eagles have primarily used a pair of goalkeepers. Sophomore Brittany Taylor and true freshman Shelby Presnell have split time this season. Taylor leads the team with a 0.99 goals against average, while Presnell has recorded a 1.76 mark. Presnell has recorded three wins compared to two by Taylor. The duo each have two shutouts apiece as the Golden Eagles have recorded four consecutive shutouts at home.
Southern Miss will look to start the conference season off against a pair of tough opponents.
Rice leads the all-time series with the Golden Eagles, 8-0-0. The two teams have met every year since 2005 with the exception of the 2007 season. The meeting will be the fourth time the two teams have met in Houston. The last time the two teams played at Rice, the Owls notched a 3-1 win over the Golden Eagles in 2011.
Southern Miss and North Texas meet on the soccer pitch for just the second time. Last season, the two teams played to a 1-1 draw in double overtime. Last season, the Golden Eagles rebounded from an early setback, a 12th-minute goal by the Mean Green's Vanessa Ibewuike, which gave North Texas an early lead. Southern Miss used an unassisted goal by Danica Roberts in the 42nd-minute to tie the match. In the second half and two overtime periods, neither team's defense proved particularly willing to allow either offense to capitalize.
Scouting the Opposition:
Rice: The Owls enter the weekend 4-1-2 overall and are undefeated at home with a 2-0-1 record. Riding a streak of six-straight matches without a loss, the Owls are receiving votes in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.
North Texas: The Mean Green enter the weekend with a 6-3-0 overall record, including a 4-3-0 home mark. North Texas have posted five shutouts this season, including three in Denton. The Mean Green host Louisiana Tech on Friday before playing Golden Eagles on Sunday.