COLUMBIA, S.C. – The LSU Soccer team (7-5-1, 2-3-0 SEC) fell to No. 13 South Carolina (9-1-3, 3-0-2 SEC) on the road on Thursday night by a score of 1-0 in Stone Stadium.
LSU was led by forward Mollie Baker and midfielder Ida Hermannsdottir this evening as Baker tallied three shots for the Tigers and Hermansdottir added two shots of her own. Goalkeeper Mollee Swift finished the night with four saves and 90 minutes in between the posts.
“I am disappointed with the result because I think we deserved to get something out of the game, but I am happy with the performance and the team morale throughout the match tonight,” Head Coach Sian Hudson said. “I thought Mollie Baker was fantastic for us in her midfield role, but she also created our best chance of the game when she moved into an attacking role and had a great run down the left and narrowly missed as she cut inside onto her right foot for a powerful shot.”
“We look forward to hosting Tennessee on Sunday and the opportunity to be back in front of our Tiger fans.”
The first half in Columbia began energetic with both teams exchanging possession. South Carolina’s Shea Rourke recorded two shots on target in the first fifteen minutes. Hermannsdottir responded with a shot that went wide right and couldn’t find the target for the Tigers.
Three of the Gamecocks nine shots in the first half were on target from O’Rourke, Lily Render and Reagan Schubach, but all were denied by Swift.
It was a 50/50 possession battle as the first half ended scoreless with neither team able to find the advantage. Swift recorded three saves in the first period to deny South Carolina from a goal in the first 45 minutes.
LSU opened the second half with a good opportunity in the 48th minute. Forward Sage Glover took the first corner kick of the night for the Tigers and sent a ball in the box that found midfielder’s Tori Gillis’s head, but she was unable to control the ball as it rolled out for a Gamecock goal kick.
South Carolina opened the scoring of the match in the 56th minute. Reagan Schubach took her chance as she maneuvered around in the box and found just enough time to strike the ball to the top left corner and give the Gamecocks the 1-0 lead on the night.
All of Baker’s shots came in her second half efforts to put the Tigers on the board, but the senior couldn’t find the net. Glover also tallied a shot in the 82nd minute that went wide left as the Tigers continued to look for the equalizer in Columbia.
Hermansdottir found the only shot on target with a last-chance effort in the 87th minute for LSU. After sending a long cross to the box from the left flank, the midfielder once again saw the ball at her feet off a pass from Baker for a long range effort that went straight to South Carolina goalkeeper Heather Hinz for the save.
The match finished 1-0 in Columbia as South Carolina came up victorious. The Gamecocks outshot LSU by 14 to six and five on target compared to LSU’s one.
The Tigers return home as they host Tennessee on Sunday, October 8 at 4 p.m. CT on SEC Network+ as conference play continues at the LSU Soccer Stadium.