LAFAYETTE, La. — The LSU soccer team earned its first victory of the season Sunday by shutting out the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns, 1-0, in overtime at the Cajun Track and Soccer Complex.
The Tigers improve to 1-2 on the season and 5-0 all-time against UL-Lafayette. In fact, LSU has outscored the Ragin’ Cajuns 14-0 in their five meetings.
“It really feels good, but it’s good to have it behind us as well,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “We need to move forward. It’s good for the kids to get a win under their belt and start feeling a little better about themselves.”
Junior forward Joleen Phillips scored the game-winning goal on a pass from freshman midfielder Melissa Clarke in the seventh minute of overtime. For Phillips, it was her second goal of the season and sixth of her career after sitting out much of the 2004 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
“I knew I only had a limited number of opportunities, and I had to score,” Phillips said. “That was my one big shot in the game and I just had to make it. That was the only thing going through my mind.”
LSU appeared to take an early lead at the 7:52 mark of the first half when senior forward Stacie McDougall ripped a shot past the goalkeeper on a rebound from Phillips, but the goal was erased by an offside against the Tigers.
The match remained scoreless at halftime despite the Tigers firing five shots, including two shots on goal, and attempting four corner kicks. The LSU defense limited the Ragin’ Cajuns (0-2-1) without a shot and a corner kick in the first half.
“The back line has been great this season,” Lee said. “Jackie Moseley has been asserting herself on goal, and I thought she played really well. I thought our whole back line really played superlative today.”
The Tigers outshot UL-Lafayette in the match 13-4, including six shots on goal, and had eight corner kicks to one for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Moseley only had to save one shot to earn her first career victory and shutout as a freshman goalkeeper and improved her record to 1-1 on the season.
UL-Lafayette committed 17 fouls to LSU’s 12, and two yellow cards were given to each team in a match that was physical throughout.
LSU missed an opportunity to score its first goal of the match in the 17th minute of the second half when Clarke fired a shot into the crossbar and sophomore midfielder Caroline Vanderpool fired the rebound into the crossbar as well.
The Tigers also attempted three shots on goal from point-blank range in the 29th minute of the second half, but three Ragin’ Cajun saves limited the Tigers without a score. Lee said that his team must take advantage of such opportunities if it hopes to find success throughout the rest of the season.
“Sometimes you just hit the post square on,” Lee said. “You just have to have the will to fight and create more chances for yourself. We’re going to work on that, and hopefully those shots will start going in.”
LSU’s home opener is scheduled for Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but Lee said that is subject to change due to the current situation in Baton Rouge. Stay tuned to LSUsports.net for further details.