University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
UAB
West Division Leaders Southern Miss Host UAB
9/30/2021 4:07:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Golden Eagles are set to face off against the Blazers of UAB on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. in Hattiesburg, at the Southern Miss Soccer Complex. The Black and Gold currently sit atop the C-USA West Division with seven points, a 2-0-1 conference record, and a 6-2-1 overall record.
"We are looking to control what we can control this game. UAB will give us a good game. We are expecting our players to capitalize on the opportunities they are given. All players need to step up and bring something to the table. It's another chance for our players to elevate their game," said Assistant Coach Carly Mauldin.
"We're excited to be back at home this week. The preparation for this game has been very good and we're looking forward to keeping our winning streak at home," noted senior Samantha Stiglmair.
Series History: UAB leads series 14-6-3. The first game in the series was a Southern Miss victory on Sep. 20, 1998, as the Golden Eagles won, 2-0, in Hattiesburg. The last Meeting between Southern Miss and UAB was on Feb. 26, 2021, in Birmingham as the Blazers won, 2-1.
Last Time In Hattiesburg: Southern Miss and UAB last met on Oct. 27, 2019, in Hattiesburg as the teams played to a 0-0 stalemate.
To The Top: Diaz is currently tied for 15th in the nation for assists per game and tied for 17th in the country for assists. The Southern Miss soccer team currently sits at these national statistic rankings:
Tied-14th for shutout percentage at .667
20th for scoring offense with 26 goals
Tied-20th in points per game at 8.22
24th for team save pct. at .865
31st in assists per game at 2.44
Tied-35th for total points at 74
*Southern Miss leads all C-USA teams in these categories.
They lead the C-USA West Division with a 6-2-0 record and a 2-0-0 conference record. The Golden Eagles also lead the conference in goals (26), goals per game (2.89), assists per game (2.44), and total points (74).
Double The Trouble: Two Golden Eagles were named C-USA Players of the Week for the last period in September. Graduate Kendell Mindnich set her career single-game record in saves with 13 between the sticks for the Golden Eagles in the double-overtime draw against North Texas, in Denton. She faced 32 shots overall along with 12 corner kicks and did not allow a goal to notch her third clean sheet of the season. She made seven saves in the first half, five in the second half, and one more in the first overtime period against the Mean Green. The graduate student from Melbourne Beach, Florida leads C-USA in saves per game with 6.5.
Junior Madisyn Flammia was the crucial center back in the Southern Miss backline for the shutout draw in Denton over North Texas. The Florida native was vital in the match, facing an offensive assault for the full 110 minutes as the Mean Green recorded 32 shots. Flammia personally produced three moments of defensive magic, blocking three North Texas shots on goal, two of which were kept out, off of the goal line. Her defensive performance aided the Southern Miss squad in taking the point in Denton, ultimately maintaining its top place in the West Division.
A La Orden: The Latin duo of Ariel Diaz and Ilana Izquierdo lead the Black and Gold offensively for a combined eight goals and nine assists, totaling 25 points so far this season. The Colombian is having a fantastic freshman year, leading the team in goals with five, while she also has tallied three assists for a total of 13 points. The reigning C-USA Offensive Player of the Year leads the USM squad in assists with six and has three goals to her name for 12 points.
For Southern Miss Soccer updates, follow the team's Twitter account, @SouthernMissSoc, and check the main athletics site at SouthernMiss.com.
