University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Soccer Set for Road Swing
9/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss soccer team returns to the pitch over the weekend for a pair of road games as the Golden Eagles conclude a three-game road swing. The Black and Gold begin the weekend on Friday, Sept. 5 at South Alabama before concluding the weekend on Sunday, Sept. 7 at Southeastern Louisiana. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., respectively.
Southern Miss enters the weekend with a 2-2-0 overall record. The Golden Eagles had their back-to-back shutout streak snapped as the team dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 decision on the road against Mississippi State in double overtime on Sunday, Aug. 31.
Karen Torres and Breann Hedin lead the team with six points apiece. Torres has scored a team-best three goals, while Hedin leads the Black and Gold with four helpers. Becky McMullan and Alexia Hix have each netted a pair of goals apiece for second on the team, while Beth Coleman is one assist behind Hedin with three.
Defensively, Brittany Taylor, a 2013 Conference USA All-Freshman selection, has worked all 363:11 minutes between the posts. The goalkeeper has notched 15 saves on the year, while allowing only four goals for a 0.99 goals against average. Taylor has posted a pair of shutouts on the season.
The Southern Miss defense has limited opponents to just 13 points on the season with four goals scored and five assists. The Golden Eagles have held their opponents to just 43 shots and 19 shots on goal in four games.
South Alabama, who claimed the 2013 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship, holds an 8-4-0 advantage in the all-time series. Southern Miss was edged last season, 3-2, in overtime by South Alabama in Hattiesburg. The Golden Eagles have won two of the last three meetings between the two teams in Mobile.
Southern Miss boasts an 8-0-1 lead in the all-time series with Southeastern Louisiana. The Golden Eagles are 5-0-0 in Hattiesburg and 3-0-1 in Hammond, La. The Black and Gold have posted five shutouts in the series, including a 1-0 overtime victory against the Lions last season.
Scouting the Opposition:
South Alabama enters the weekend with a 2-2 overall record. Like the Golden Eagles, the Jaguars' two wins were shutouts and their two losses were one-goal games, including a 2-1 loss in double overtime. Three players are tied for the team lead with three goals apiece. NOTE: Southern Miss assistant coach Jessica Oram was a member of the Jaguars from 2010-13, finishing her career as an All-South Region and All-Sun Belt Conference performer, while holding the South Alabama record for games played and started with 84.
Heading into the weekend, Southeastern Louisiana is 4-0-0 on the year. Three of their four victories have come on the road and all four wins have been shutouts. Goalie Hope Sabadash has tallied 360:00 shutout minutes on the year and the Lions' defense has surrendered just nine shots on goal. Offensively, Bri Singh leads the team with 11 points on a team-high five goals and an assist. Friday night, Southeastern Louisiana hosts ULM (4-0) in a battle of unbeaten schools.
