FOLEY, Ala. - Kory Dixon scored a brace and the University of South Alabama soccer team recorded three second-half goals to defeat Little Rock 4-0 and advance to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament final Friday afternoon at the Foley Sports Complex.
The Jaguars improve to 13-5-1 while the Trojans drop to 9-9-3.
GAME FACTS
- The two teams combined for just six shots (USA 5, LR 1) in the first half
- Senior Rio Hardy opened the scoring on a penalty kick at the 15:18 mark
- The Jaguars wasted little time in making it a 2-0 score following intermission after Dixon volleyed home a cross from Hardy at 45:30
- Senior Chelsea Followwell nearly added another goal at 47:42 but her left-footed attempt grazed the top of the crossbar
- Dixon made it a brace in the 57th minute, converting a breakaway after a corner kick
- Justice Stanford preserved the shutout on a diving save to deny Arola Aparicio Gili at 64:21
- Hardy also hit the crossbar on a free kick at 77:26 but the Trojans were able to make the clearance
- Freshman Ana Helmert scored her second goal in as many games at 83:33 off a pass from Followwell
- Stanford's save in the 65th minute was one of two she made in 90 minutes of work; a pair of Little Rock goalkeepers combined for one save
NOTES
- South Alabama outshot Little Rock 12-3, and four of the Jags' five shots on goal went in
- Hardy's penalty was the team's fifth of the year, which is a new school record
- Hardy's goal and assist gives her 33 points on the season to set a new career high, and 99 points for her career
- Dixon, who had three career goals coming into the match, recorded her first career brace
- Hardy extended her school record with her 14th career game-winning goal
- South Alabama has won nine in a row over Little Rock and leads the all-time series 19-5-1; the 19 wins are the most over any opponent in school history
- The four-goal margin ties USA's largest this season (Georgia Southern)
- South Alabama is unbeaten in its last 14 Sun Belt Tournament games dating back to 2013
- The Jaguars have blanked their last four opponents, their longest shutout streak of the season, and have seven clean sheets in 2017
- Stanford now has 17 career shutouts, one shy of fourth in school history
- Hardy has tallied three points or more seven times this season
- Hardy is now tied for seventh in school history with her 17th career assist
- The Jaguars are 50-6-4 in games against conference schools (regular season and tournament) in the last five seasons
- The Jaguars have 40 shutouts in the last four seasons, the most by any Sun Belt school
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
On the team's performance: "It was a true team performance.