Soccer Travels to Mobile for Conference Clash with South Alabama

HATTIESBURG, Miss.-Southern Miss Soccer (1-5, 0-1 Sun Belt) prepares to continue conference play in Mobile, Ala. against South Alabama (6-3, 1-0 Sun Belt) on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The game, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, was moved to Wednesday in anticipation of expected weather conditions from Tropical Storm Helene.

Game 7: Southern Miss (1-5, 0-0 Sun Belt) at South Alabama (6-3, 1–0 Sun Belt)
Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. CT
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The Golden Eagles started conference play Saturday against James Madison, falling 7-2 in Harrisonburg, Va.

Sophomore Rebeka Vega and senior Adaira Nakano scored in the first half, giving the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead to start the match. Vega, who made just her second start of the season since returning from the 2024 FIFA U-20 World Cup, scored her third career goal in the seventh minute.

Nakano, who scored once in the season-opener, followed Vega with her ninth of her career and second goal of the season.

The Dukes rallied, scoring seven unanswered goals to claim victory. JMU outshot Southern Miss 17-8 in the match, firing 11 on target. Southern Miss starting goalkeeper Maddie Ellis made three saves, while Kesaia Bruni recorded one save in the match.

Southern Miss will stay on the road, heading to Mobile, Ala to face a South Alabama team that has extended on a four-game winning streak. The Jaguars won three games on its road stretch, including a 1-0 shutout at Arkansas State to start conference play.

Southern Miss Notes

With two goals against JMU, Southern Miss snapped a four-game scoring drought, the longest for the program since a five-game streak in 2015.

Southern Miss' two first half goals against the Dukes were the most scored in the opening period of a conference game since scoring two goals in the first half of a 3-3 draw at Texas State on Oct. 26, 2023.

Nakano leads the Golden Eagles with five points through six matches. Freshman Raquelle Mitchell is also tied with Nakano with two goals from a brace scored in her collegiate debut against MVSU. The trio of Alice Williamson, Shaelynn Quick and Vega have each accounted for Southern Miss' other three goals this season.

Southern Miss' 14.33 shots per game rank fifth in the conference. The Golden Eagles started the season with 43 shots against MVSU, which ranked as the fourth-most in program history and most in a game since Aug. 30, 2013. Redshirt junior Alice Williamson paces the team with 19 shots.

Scouting South Alabama

The Jaguars are led by first-year head coach Chris Hennessey, who joins the program after a nine-year tenure at Lee University, where he posted a 130-31-21 record and led the Lady Flames to eight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.

South Alabama finished last season 16-1-3, winning the Sun Belt regular season championship. The Jaguars were picked to finish sixth in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll.

Irene Campo's five goals lead the team and is tied for most in the Sun Belt. The Santander, Spain native also leads the conference with 12 total points. Campo was named the Sun Belt Offesnive Player of the Week on Sept. 10.

Monique Gray scored the game-winning goal against the Red Wolves Saturday in the 66th minute, giving South Alabama its first conference victory of the season. Gray leads the conference with three game-winning goals.

Gray, Campo and Amber Forenberry were named to the Preseason Sun Belt All-Conference team.

Series History

South Alabama leads the all-time series 13-4-1. The Jaguars are 7-2 when playing at home in the series. The Golden Eagles met South Alabama last season on Sept. 17, 2023, recording the series' first tie in a scoreless draw.

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

Soccer Travels to Mobile for Conference Clash with South Alabama

Players Mentioned

Kesaia Bruni

Maddie Ellis

Raquelle Mitchell

Adaira Nakano

Shaelynn Quick

Rebeka Vega

Alice Williamson

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