University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Soccer hosts MVSU in Tuesday exhibition game
8/6/2018 3:59:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- It is a new season for the Southern Miss soccer program, and it all begins Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT when Mississippi Valley State heads to town. It also marks the first game of the entire 2018-19 athletic season.
Admission is free. Southern Miss leads the all-time series 8-1-0, and it is the first contest between the teams since an 8-0 win in 2014.
Ola Akinniyi earlier Monday was named to the Preseason All-Conference USA team on the heels of a team-high seven-goal season last year, despite being a defender. Her 2017 nod to the all-league team was the first for a Golden Eagle since 2007.
Head coach Mohammed El-Zare enters his sixth year at the helm. Last season saw him help develop three All-Conference performers (Akinniyi, Becky McMullan and Miah Zuazua) for the first time in program history. One year prior, the Golden Eagles' 8-7-2 season was its first winning campaign since 2003.
Zuazua and Stephanie Garcia both return after having nine points apiece last season, with one of Zuazua's being a game-winning penalty kick versus Stephen F. Austin in her second collegiate game.
Last year's exhibition game saw the Golden Eagles post an 8-1 win over Southeastern Louisiana.
