Soccer Prepares to Face Georgia Southern Sunday

Sunday, October 27

Statesboro, Ga. / Eagle Field at Erk Russell Athletic Park

Noon ET / 11 a.m. CT

Southern Miss

Georgia Southern

Soccer Prepares to Face Georgia Southern Sunday

10/26/2024 8:28:00 AM | Women's Soccer

WSOC Game 14 Notes at Georgia Southern

HATTIESBURG, Miss.-Southern Miss Soccer (3-6-4, 2-2-4 Sun Belt) looks to carry its momentum from two consecutive wins at home on the road with a matchup at Georgia Southern (6-10-1, 3-5 Sun Belt) Sunday at 11 a.m. CT in Statesboro, Ga.

Game 14: Southern Miss (3-6-4, 2-2-4 Sun Belt) at Georgia Southern (6-10-1, 3-5 Sun Belt)
Sunday, Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. CT
Bo Pitts Field
ESPN+: https://es.pn/4f9djs3
Live Stats: https://smttt.info/3Y65Jax

The Golden Eagles concluded their home slate for the 2024 season with a 3-2-2 standing, picking up six crucial conference points with two wins in the final home games against Troy and Louisiana.

Southern Miss is following a decisive 4-1 victory against the Ragin' Cajuns Thursday, the most the team has scored in a conference match since joining the Sun Belt, and the most scored in any conference match for the program since September 19, 2021 in a 4-2 win over Marshall.

Supported by a complete team performance, the Golden Eagles were led by the efforts of sophomores Rebeka Vega and Shaelynn Quick, who recorded their first career braces.The duo became the first pair to score two goals in the same game since Ariel Diaz and Illana Izquierdo did so on Aug. 26, 2021 against Nicholls.

Vega capitalized on her first opportunity from a Louisiana foul inside the box, converting a penalty kick in the 30th minute to give Southern Miss the lead in a contested first half.

Quick struck five minutes into the second period with her first goal since the season-opener, sending the ball directly into the net from her corner kick.

Freshman Raquelle Mitchell continued the momentum on the attack for the Golden Eagles, crossing the ball for an assist to Vega's second goal, which gave Southern Miss a 3-0 advantage.

While the Ragin' Cajuns answered back shortly with a goal of their own from Briana Henry, Quick found another deep opportunity, powering a shot from outside of the box into the upper right corner of the goal for the Golden Eagles' final goal.
The Golden Eagles look to continue their success on the road, where the team has yet to win a game this season, but has earned two points with two conference draws.

Southern Miss will face a Georgia Southern team reeling from a 2-1 loss Thursday at Georgia State. The Eagles trail Southern Miss by one point in conference standings in ninth place, setting up a crucial match for postseason implications for the eight teams that will advance to the Sun Belt Tournament in November.

Southern Miss currently sits at seventh place in the conference with ten conference points, but has yet to clinch a spot in the tournament with five teams trailing the Golden Eagles by three points or less.

Southern Miss Notables

Southern Miss has scored multiple goals in four straight conference games, the longest streak since 2000, when the Golden Eagles scored 15 goals in a span of five consecutive conference matches.

The Golden Eagles had never won by more than a one-goal differential in a Sun Belt home match since joining the conference in 2022, but accomplished that feat in back-to-back games to close their home slate this season.

Southern Miss has recorded ten or more shots and outshot their opponents in five consecutive matches, which stands as the longest streak since the team did so through eight consecutive games in 2021.

Senior goalkeeper Kesaia Bruni recorded a season-high six saves against Louisiana, including five in the first period. Bruni's 37 saves rank as the ninth most in the conference this season, along with her .712 save percentage, the tenth best clip in the league.

Vega, who missed the first four games of the season while representing Venezuela at the 2024 FIFA U-20 World Cup, has quickly found her rhythm, tying Adaira Nakano for the team lead with five goals.

Nakano leads the Golden Eagles with 14 points (8th Sun Belt) with five goals and four assists (T-4th in Sun Belt). Nakano has tallied a point in four consecutive games, becoming the first Golden Eagle to do so since Illana Izquierdo scored seven points through five straight games in 2021.

Mitchell recorded her first career assist Thursday at Louisiana, bringing her point total to nine on the season. Mitchell ranks third among freshmen in the Sun Belt with four goals this season.

Scouting Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern is led by fourth-year head coach Chris Adams, who has posted a 32-19-10 record with the program.

The Eagles have taken 78 corner kicks this season, the third most in the conference.

Cathay Smith leads the team with eight goals and 21 shots on goal, which rank as the sixth most in the conference. Along with three assists, her 19 points also rank as the sixth most in the conference. Erin Wilkins's team-leading five assists rank as the eighth most in the Sun Belt.

Goalkeeper Katie Oakley's 46 saves and .767 save percentage rank sixth in the conference.

Series History

Georgia Southern leads the all-time series 2-0, with Sunday's matchup being only the second game held between the programs since 1997. The Eagles won 2-1 at Southern Miss last season on Oct. 15, 2023.

For the latest information on Southern Miss Soccer, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSoccer), Twitter (@SouthernMissSoc) and Instagram (@southernmisssoccer).