MOBILE, Ala. — Freshman Michelle Makasini sparked an offensive onslaught with a goal in the ninth minute and finished the match with her first career hat trick as the LSU soccer team shutout the South Alabama Jaguars at The Cage on Friday by the score of 3-0.
The Tigers (4-4) improve to 3-4 all-time against South Alabama (1-6), and Makasini’s hat trick is the first for LSU since former Tiger Rachel Cohen scored three goals against cross-town rival Southern in the final game of the 2003 season.
“I was really pleased with our ball movement tonight and our ability to advance the ball box-to-box,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “We were able to attack their defense and get off some great chances on goal, but we would like to bury a few more of those and keep the pressure on the opposing team.”
Makasini put the Tigers on top 1-0 in the ninth minute after taking a feed from fellow freshman Katherine Lagow and ripping a shot inside the near post from 12 yards in front of the net. She followed with her second goal of the half in the 36th minute by punching a header past a diving South Alabama goalkeeper on a corner kick by sophomore Leeza Iver.
The Euless, Texas, native put the match out of the Jaguars’ reach with her third goal in the 54th minute by ripping a shot inside the far post from the top of the box. Makasini now leads the team and the rest of the Southeastern Conference with seven goals and 17 points on the season.
“They were giving us a lot of space to create chances and I was able to put a few of those away tonight,” Makasini said. “We attacked them and were able to penetrate their defense with some ease, but we didn’t finish a lot of our shots like we should have. Scoring three goals is great, but I’m happy with the win more than anything.”
LSU kept the offensive pressure on South Alabama throughout the match as it finished with 18 total shots, including nine shots on goal, and a season high 12 corner kicks. Junior goalkeeper Valerie Vogler saved the Jaguars’ only shot of the match to earn her first shutout of the season and third of her career.
“We defended them well throughout the game, and Valerie played great in her first start in goal this season,” Lee said. “I’d still like to see us finish more of our chances in the attacking third. We’ve got the talent to be a tremendous offensive team, and we’re going to need that as we head into SEC play next weekend.”
The Tigers look for their second straight win when they travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., on Sunday to take on Southern Miss in a match scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Marshall Bell Soccer Complex. This marks the first time in their 11-year history that the Tigers will battle the Golden Eagles. They open the SEC season at home against Vanderbilt on Sept. 22.