Jags Snap Trojans Eight Match Winning Streak With 2-1 Win
The USA Soccer team used two goals in the first eight minutes of the match to defeat in-state rival Troy 2-1 at The Cage Friday night.
The Jaguars improved to 9-2 overall and 1-0 in the Sun Belt Conference on the season. They also extended their winning streak to seven games with the win and snapped Troy’s eight-match winning streak as the Trojans fell to 8-3 and 0-1 in conference play.
Rio Hard, a freshman from Workington, England, scored the first goal of the match and her sixth of the season as the Jags snapped Troy’s eight match winning streak and extended their own streak to seven matches. | Photo: usajaguars.com
The Jaguars took advantage of a Trojan miscue when freshman Rio Hardy picked up an errant back pass to the Trojan goalkeeper and walked into the net in the fourth minute of the match for her sixth goal of the season.
In the seventh minute of the match, freshman Sophie Haywood knocked home a free kick from sophomore Nikki Shirtcliffe to double the Jaguar advantage at 2-0.
The Jags and Trojans were stalemated for the next 75 minutes until Troy’s Georgia Wallis’ free kick from the top of the 18-yard box that deflected off Jaguar goalie Sarah Hay and went into the net to half the Jaguars lead to 2-1. South Alabama clamped down their defense as the Trojans did not get another attempt.
The goal allowed by Hay was the first in 532 minutes since the season opener against UAB. The Jags came into the match ranked 10th in the nation in goal against average.
“It was a great result, but I know we can play a lot better than that,” Jaguar head coach Graham Winkworth said. “Credit Troy, they played extremely well. They caused a lot of problems and we managed to solve most of them as the game went on, and I thought the second half was much better. It’s important to get the first win. Sometimes wins come a little bit ugly and I’m pleased we got the result today.”
The team will have the week off before resuming their conference schedule on Friday when they host Louisiana-Monroe beginning at 7pm.