James Madison blanks Southern Miss 5-0 in Sun Belt opener
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Southern Miss soccer lost its Sun Belt Conference opener 5-0 to James Madison on Friday afternoon at Marshall Bell Track & Field/Soccer Complex. The defeat ended a four-match unbeaten streak for the Golden Eagles and was their first league game under coach Danny Owens, according to school officials.
Southern Miss was aggressive early, creating four shots in the first 15 minutes. Ava Bynes had two early scoring chances, while Olivia Tribolet and Vail Wartes also tested the James Madison defense before the Dukes opened the scoring in the 15th minute on a goal by Ginny Lackey.
The Golden Eagles continued to attack after falling behind. Tribolet forced a save in the 25th minute, and Argentina Estrada added another shot late in the first half. James Madison doubled its lead in the 42nd minute when Holly Minshull scored to give the Dukes a 2-0 halftime advantage. Southern Miss ended the opening period with six shots, three fewer than JMU’s nine.
Southern Miss started the second half with a corner kick just over a minute in. James Madison responded with a goal from Samantha DeGuzman in the 47th minute. Audrey Orrock scored in the 64th minute, and Ellie Farrell converted a penalty in the 85th to close out the scoring.
The Golden Eagles pressed for a response throughout the second half. Bynes had another shot in the 51st minute, Lorilee Taylor shot wide in the 74th, and Alessia Navarro forced a save one minute later. Avery Aldrette also had an attempt in the closing minutes. Overall, seven different players recorded shots for Southern Miss, which finished with 10 attempts. Bynes led with three shots, and Tribolet added two, with one on target. Logan McGruder made three saves in goal.
James Madison held a 14-10 advantage in total shots and an 8-2 edge in shots on goal. The result concludes a four-match stretch in which Southern Miss went 2-0-2, including wins over Southern and Nicholls. The team now prepares for its second Sun Belt game of the season on the road.
Southern Miss will travel to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to face Arkansas State on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 4 p.m. CT at the A-State Soccer Complex. For updates and more information, fans can visit SouthernMiss.com or follow Southern Miss soccer on Twitter and Instagram.
Source: Original Article
