Soccer Falls In Closing Seconds To Samford, 3-2 :: Team Opens Season On August 25 At Middle Tennessee State

Aug. 17, 2006

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -

The Southern Miss Lady Eagle soccer team dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in the closing seconds of today's match, in the team's exhibition tune up for the 2006 season.

"I don't take today's game as a heartbreaker," Head Coach Gail Macklin said. "We didn't really script anything offensively for this game. We're just a little immature in some areas on the field. We have to be a team that has to kill teams off. We had a lot of good individual performances from our upperclassmen and underclassmen today. We're going to build on that."

The two teams battled to a 0-0 tie in the first half, which Samford led 9-6 in shots.

Southern Miss had a change at the 16:40 mark in the first half, as senior Carly Barkley broke free towards the net, but her shot was stopped by Cayley Winters.

In the second half, Southern Miss took a 1-0 lead, as sophomore Jessica Stephens' shot found the right side of the net.

Samford knotted the game at 1-1 at the 72:44 mark, on a goal by Cassie Applegate, off an assist from Amber Cress.

But the Lady Eagles answered Samford's goal less than four minutes later at the 76:20 mark, as sophomore Sarah McFadden scored to the left side of the net, off an assist from Megan Kolts.

Samford again tied the game, as it got a goal from Paige Lanter at the 85:23 mark.

Southern Miss had some late opportunities, but senior Andrea Kerkhoff saw her shot blocked at the 88:10 mark, before senior Sarah Brennan's corner kick just curved past the right side of the net nine seconds later.

In the closing minute, Samford's Amber Cress had back-to-back shots blocked by Holly Cox, before the second blocked shot fell to Heather Birdsell who put the game-winning goal in the net with seconds to play in the match.

Samford finished the match with a 23-13 edge in shots.

Junior Katie Hall led the Lady Eagles with a team-best two shots, while sophomore Holly Cox finished with a match-best five saves. Birdsell and Cress finished with a match-best three shots for Samford.

Southern Miss opens the 2006 season on Friday, August 25 at Middle Tennesee State in a 7 p.m., contest The Lady Eagles open their home schedule Friday, September 1, hosting Murray State in a 4 p.m., match.