Freshman Danielle Henley scored two goals in the opening 15 minutes Sunday, and South Alabama soccer shut out Nicholls State 3-0 to even its record at 1-1 after the season’s opening weekend.
The win came two days after the Jaguars lost 2-1 in double overtime to UAB on Friday night.
Fast Start for Henley
Henley, from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, opened the scoring at the 5:40 mark with a shot from distance. She struck again at 14:12, controlling a corner kick from fellow freshman Tiina Trutsi and finishing into the net.
Shortly before halftime, freshman Rio Hardy of Workington, England, scored her first collegiate goal. She converted a breakaway off a pass from freshman Alyssa Pejic at the 44:39 mark.
“They played excellent,” head coach Graham Winkworth said, noting that Henley’s first goal went into the top corner with her left foot and that Hardy stayed composed in a one-on-one chance against the goalkeeper.
“We created a lot of quality chances today and hopefully we can continue to do that,” Winkworth said.
No Shots on Goal Allowed
South Alabama limited Nicholls State to four total shots, none of them on goal. Freshman goalkeeper Courtney Baum was credited with the win in her first collegiate start.
“We defended from front to back today,” Winkworth said. He singled out defenders Steffi Hardy and Nini Rabsatt-Smith, along with Alyssa Mayer, Nikki Shirtcliffe and substitute Emi Passini, for staying organized and compact. “If we don’t concede goals, we’ll be very difficult to beat,” he said.
Up Next
The Jaguars travel to Troy this weekend for the Trojan Classic, where they will face Tennessee Tech on Friday and Kennesaw State on Sunday.
