Southern Miss
2-2-0, 0-0-0
Northwestern State
0-4-0, 0-0-0
Soccer Extends Home Winning Streak With 3-0 Victory Over Northwestern State
8/31/2023 8:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HATTIESBURG, Miss.-- Southern Miss Soccer (2-2-0, 0-0-0 SBC) secured their second consecutive win at home for the 2023 season, shutting out Northwestern State (0-4-0, 0-0-0 SLC) 3-0.
The Golden Eagles did not waste any time in making their offensive attempts. Midfielder Blessing Kingsley's shot aimed for the bottom center of the net was thwarted by the Lady Demon goalkeeper at the one minute mark. Within the following eight minutes, three more shots were taken by the Black and Gold, and the third one found its mark. Midfielder Adaira Nakano scored the first goal of the match unassisted, marking her second career goal and putting her at the forefront of the team in terms of points, goals, assists, and game-winning goals.
Throughout the first half, Southern Miss dominated the play toward the Northwestern State goal, while the latter managed only a few breakaways and dribbles down the pitch. The shot count stood at one for Northwestern State compared to Southern Miss's nine.
Despite preserving their lead as the first half concluded, Southern Miss was resolute in both extending their advantage and preventing Northwestern State from narrowing the gap when play resumed in the second.
The second half began with the Golden Eagles aggressively pushing forward, managing to put up three shots, but they couldn't convert their efforts into goals. The game seemed headed for a potential 1-1 tie when a shot from NWST's defender targeted the bottom center of the net, but Alex Helbling made a crucial save.
In the 79th minute, freshman Chloe Taylor extended the lead with a goal assisted by Nakano from outside the box. This marked Taylor's first goal of the season and her collegiate career. As the game neared its end, forward Parker Martin scored the third and final goal in the last ten seconds, assisted by Esmeralda Figueroa. This was Martin's second goal of the season and her career.
Alex Helbling secured her sixth career shutout between the sticks, placing her sixth in the school's history. She made four saves while facing five shots.
The Black and Gold has increased its goal tally in each successive match of the 2023 season: 0 against Ole Miss, one against LSU, two against Mississippi Valley State, and now three against Northwestern State.
Looking ahead, the Golden Eagles are scheduled to face Georgia in an afternoon matchup at the Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, Ga., on Sept. 3. The game is set for noon and will be streamed on SECN+.
For updates, follow @SouthernMissSoc on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Team Stats
Adaira Nakano (2)
GOAL by USM Nakano, Adaira.
09:59
Chloe Taylor (1)
Assisted By: Adaira Nakano
GOAL by USM Taylor, Chloe Assist by Nakano, Adaira.
79:45
Parker Martin (2)
Assisted By: Esmeralda Figueroa
GOAL by USM Martin, Parker Assist by Figueroa, Esmeralda.
89:49
