TAMPA, Fla. — Senior midfielder Melissa Clarke showed the form that earned her All-SEC honors a year ago with a pair of second-half goals to lead the LSU soccer team to a 2-1 win over the South Florida Bulls on Sunday afternoon on the final day of the 2009 Dafeldecker Classic at the USF Soccer Complex.
The Tigers improve to 2-1-1 on the young season and are now unbeaten in their last three games while the Bulls fall to 1-2-1 on the campaign. It was the first meeting between the two programs on the pitch.
“This was a great character test for our team this early in the season,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “I am really proud of our team for competing for 90 minutes after falling behind 1-0 in the second half. That was an outstanding effort by our team in the last 30 minutes to come from behind and get a big win on the road. This was another big step forward for us as we continue in the season.”
With the game tied 1-1 in the final minutes of regulation, Clarke scored the game-winner for the Tigers in the 88th minute on a brilliant effort inside the penalty area.
After slicing through the USF defense with a familiar run, Clarke rifled a shot into a diving South Florida goalkeeper Mallori Lofton-Malachi, who deflected the ball back into the middle of the box. Clarke quickly pounced on the rebound and fired a left-footed shot into an empty net just two minutes from time for her team-leading third goal of the 2009 campaign.
South Florida struck first in the 64th minute of play when Gina Pacheco drew a penalty after being taken down in the area by a pair of LSU defenders. USF midfielder Noelle Pineiro then stepped to the spot and converted the ensuing penalty kick for her team-leading third goal of the season at the 63:26 mark.
But the Tigers drew level just nine minutes later as Clarke found the back of the net on a beautiful give-and-go with sophomore midfielder Taryne Boudreau.
Clarke received the initial pass from freshman Natalie Ieyoub approximately 30 yards in front of the goal before finding Boudreau on the right flank. Boudreau then made a one-touch pass back to Clarke running through the middle of the South Florida defense as the two-time All-SEC performer fired a strike past the diving Lofton-Malachi inside the right post from 12 yards out.
LSU controlled possession for much of the second half of play as the Tigers outshot the Bulls in the game by a 15-10 margin, including a 10-8 edge in shots on goal. LSU also attempted seven corner kicks to only three for South Florida, including five corner kicks in the second half.
The sides were scoreless at the break as both LSU and South Florida attempted five total shots in the first half in an evenly played contest. USF held a slight 3-2 advantage in both shots on goal and corner kicks.
The Tigers will return home to the LSU Soccer Complex next weekend as they play host to Oklahoma on Friday at 7 p.m. in the first edition of their “Heads Up for the Cure” campaign as they join in the fight against breast cancer. They will then go on the road Sept. 13 to square off against in-state rival Louisiana-Lafayette at 1 p.m. at the Ragin’ Cajuns Soccer Facility.