TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The LSU soccer team fell to the 23rd-ranked Miami Hurricanes in the opening game of the 2002 Seminole Classic on Friday, as the Tigers played 84 minutes of relentless defense before falling 1-0 here in Tallahassee, Fla.
“Despite losing the game, I feel that we played very well,” said LSU head coach George Fotopoulos. “Our team showed great heart out there tonight and they were just able to pick up a late goal on us. We played extremely hard defense the entire game and I’m proud of the intensity that we showed.
With only 6:45 remaining in the game, Miami’s Allison McWhinney scored the game-winning goal as she received an Andrea Radice pass, turned and aimed a shot into the right-hand corner of the net. The lone goal of Friday’s contest proved to be McWhinney’s first of the season, as well as Radice’s first assist of the 2002 campaign.
LSU fell to an overall record of 1-1 with the loss, while Miami improved to 3-0. The Tigers held Miami to only one goal after the Hurricanes averaged six goals apiece in their first two games. Miami defeated Stetson, 7-0, in its season opener before dropping South Florida, 5-1. LSU knocked off Stephen F. Austin, 2-0, in its first game of the season.
“I’m really impressed with how we played defensively,” Fotopoulos said. “Miami is a very impressive offensive team and today we kept them without a goal for 84 minutes. We were really close to a shutout, but they made a great play.”
Friday’s first-ever matchup between LSU and Miami proved to be a defensive struggle. The Hurricanes took 16 shots on the afternoon, but LSU goalie Robyn DesOrmeaux stopped eight of them and the Tigers defenders kept the pressure on.
The score of the non-conference contest was knotted at 0-0 at halftime with each team making its share of quality defensive stops. LSU’s sophomore goalkeeper DesOrmeaux recorded four saves in the opening half of play, while all three of the Tigers’ shots sailed wide of the goal. Miami reeled off eight shots in the first half with four of them being on goal.
The LSU soccer team will resume play in the 2002 Seminole Classic on Sunday at 3 p.m. (CST), as the Tigers face off against the hometown-favorite, 10th-ranked Florida State.
#23 Miami (3-0) def. LSU (1-1), 1-0
LSU 0 0 – 0
#23 Miami 0 1 – 1
Scoring: Miami, McWhinney (1) 82:18 assist (Radice).
Yellow Cards: None