THIBODAUX – Southeastern’s Aimee Davis and Rena Carrillo each scored goals to lead the Lady Lions to a 2-1 win over Nicholls State in the Southland Conference opener for both teams Tuesday afternoon at the Southeastern Soccer Complex.

Southeastern (5-3, 1-0 SLC) outshot the Lady Colonels, 18-7 and defeated Nicholls State (1-6, 0-1 SLC) for the 13th time in as many meetings. The Lady Lions have won their last three SLC openers and are 6-2 all-time in the first match of league play.

“I was very pleased with our overall effort today,” Southeastern head coach Blake Hornbuckle said. “We played a very good match against a tough Nicholls State team and I am very proud that we were able to come out victorious. We did a great job of winning balls all match. We need to keep this up heading into a pair of tough conference matches on the road this weekend.

“Kari Yost and Aimee Davis really came up big for us today and it was great that Rena Carrillo was able to score her first collegiate goal in such a big situation,” Hornbuckle added. “Sarah Gascon provided us with a great spark off the bench in the second half.”

The Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in 40th minute, as Yost, who was named SLC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, played a perfect ball to Davis. The freshman from Zachary was able to score her second goal of the season, sending the ball into the net past Nicholls State goalkeeper Lindsay Bartlett.

The score would remain the same until the 48th minute, when Yost again found a streaking Davis headed toward the goal. This time, before she could get off a shot, Davis was fouled in the Nicholls State box resulting in a penalty kick. Bartlett blocked Carrillo’s initial attempt, but the sophomore from Chino, Calif., possessed the rebound and sent it in.

The Lady Colonels would not go down easily, however. In the 75th minute, Nicholls State’s Tori Priddy scored off a penalty kick of her own, sending the ball past Southeastern goalkeeper Crista Wood.

The Southeastern defense stiffened for the rest of the match and were able to hang on to victory. The win is the 90th in school history for the 10th-year program

Southeastern will return to action on Friday, when they face McNeese State at 4 p.m. in the first of two SLC road matches for the Lady Lions this weekend. On Sunday, Southeastern will look to avenge last season’s loss in the SLC Tournament Championship match, when they take on defending SLC Tournament champion Stephen F. Austin at 2 p.m.

Scoring Summary – Southeastern Louisiana 2, Nicholls State 1
1) 39:46 – SLU – Aimee Davis (2) – Assist: Kari Yost
2) 47:46 – SLU – Rena Carrillo (1) – Penalty kick
3) 74:39 – NICH – Tori Priddy (4) – Penalty kick

Shots – Southeastern 18, Nicholls State 7
Corner Kicks – Southeastern 7, Nicholls State 1
Saves – Nicholls State 6, Southeastern 2
Fouls – Nicholls State 11, Southeastern 10