FOLEY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama soccer team got goals from graduate Tabea Griss and senior Briana Morris to defeat Georgia Southern 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Wednesday evening at the Foley Sports Complex.
The Jaguars have now won six in a row to improve to 14-3-2 on the season. The Eagles end their year at 6-11-1.
GAME FACTS
- It didn't take long for the Jaguars to get on the board thanks to Griss heading home a corner kick from sophomore Tilly Wilkes at the 8:04 mark
- Just over 2 ½ minutes later, the Eagles looked to tie the game but senior Justice Stanford made a leaping save off a corner kick to preserve the shutout
- GS got an open shot in the 19th minute from just past the penalty spot, but junior Deanna Green was there to block it
- A header from freshman Bergdís Fanney Einarsdóttir at the 30-minute mark went just outside the left post
- The Jags went into halftime with a 13-5 advantage in shots
- South Alabama peppered the Georgia Southern goal in the second half, but didn't put an attempt on net until a header from sophomore Brenna McPartlan tested the GS goalkeeper with 12 minutes left
- Morris finally put the game way at the 79:27 mark with a header from inside the 6-yard box on a cross from freshman Gracie Wilson
- Morris was stymied on a breakaway in the 85th minute; she was unable to completely evade the goalkeeper, but regathered the ball and put her attempt just wide
- The Jaguars outshot the Eagles 23-7, including 9-4 on goal
- Stanford made four saves for the shutout; Sallie Newton allowed both goals and made seven stops
NOTES
- South Alabama is 15-0-3 in Sun Belt Tournament games since 2013, and 66-11-7 in all games against Sun Belt opponents in that same time span
- USA has won nine consecutive meetings against GS, including all eight via shutout since the Eagles joined the Sun Belt in 2014
- Morris has 15 goals this season, tied for sixth most in a single season at USA
- Morris has scored a goal in each of her last five games, one short of her career high set in 2018 and 2019
- The Jags' clean sheet is their 11th of the season, which is tied for third in South Alabama history, and one away from the record set in 2014 and 2016
- USA has nine shutouts in their last 11 outings
- Stanford has 33 shutouts in her career, and nine this season, which is fourth in school history
- Wilson's assist gives her eight on the season to move up to a tie for 12th at USA in a single season
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
On the win: "We changed our system based off of some personnel changes, and we took a while to get into the game; that's a coaching mistake on my part.