LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Southeastern Louisiana University women's soccer team closed out its fifth match of the season with a 1-1 draw against Little Rock Thursday evening at the Coleman Sports Complex.
SLU (0-4-1) claimed its first draw of the season against Little Rock (2-2-1) after a hard-fought battle on the road. Southeastern finished with an aggressive performance versus the Trojans as its defense delivered a solid effort throughout the match. Senior Rylee Franklin gained her first goal of the season in the first half while goalkeeper Kendall Curran completed the match with eight saves in net.
Little Rock came out to a quick tempo on its home field in search of early momentum in the opening minutes, but the Lady Lions matched the intensity to welcome the tough task on the road. The Trojans fired multiple attacks early in the first half, but Southeastern's defense held strong to set the tone. Both teams went back and forth as SLU formulated counter attacks, looking to fuel a run of solid attempts.
The Lady Lions obtained the momentum with four consecutive corner kick opportunities, but Little Rock's defense denied every attempt around the net. Reigning OVC Goalkeeper of the Year Peyton Urban finished the match with four saves after handling the responsibility in the net for the Trojans. Southeastern continued to be aggressive while working to break free and keep its offensive momentum midway through the first half.
The tide of momentum shifted in the hosts' favor as sophomore forward Maria Schuller connected in the bottom center of the net in the 28th minute of the match to give Little Rock the early lead, 1-0. Sensing the Trojans' energy increase, SLU persevered to remain on the attack in the open field with strong looks. Freshmen Aja Nelson and Alexandra Knight broke free with solid opportunities around the net to provide a spark of momentum, but could not capitalize as Urban secured back-to-back saves.
Southeastern continued to battle with a series of counter attacks from its defensive effort as it paid off late in the first half. Franklin recorded the second goal of her career off a penalty kick, connecting with the bottom right of the net in the 39th minute of the match. The Lady Lions equalized the match off Franklin's prime opportunity to end the first half, 1-1.
SLU returned from the halftime break and applied its defensive pressure against Little Rock in the opening minutes of the second half. The Lady Lions reclaimed their momentum from the first half with multiple attacks. The Trojans worked to quickly respond, breaking free early, only to be denied by senior Mia Martin with a key block. Little Rock remained aggressive while working to spark a run, but Southeastern's defense fought to dismantle attacks.
The Lady Lions charged midway in the second half, fighting to snap the Trojans winning streak. Both teams battled until the final minute to close out the match with a 1-1 draw in their ninth meeting in program history. Little Rock finished with 15 shots, nine shots on goal, four corner kicks and two fouls. Southeastern ended the match with nine shots, five shots on goal, eight corner kicks and five fouls.
SLU will close out its three-match road stretch against Grambling Saturday at 5 p.m. The match against the Tigers will be streamed on Youtube at Grambling Athletics as live stats can be accessed on the women's soccer schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
SLU – 1 1 – 0 - 1 (0-4-1)
LR – 1 1 – 0 – 1 (2-2-1)
Scoring Summary
1. 28:21 – LR – Maria Schuller (4)
2. 39:33 – SLU – Rylee Franklin (1) – Penalty Kick
Shots – LR 15, SLU 9
Saves – SLU 8, LR 4
Corner Kicks – SLU 8, LR 4
Fouls – SLU 5, LR 2
Offsides – SLU 3, LR 1
SCORE ONE MORE CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the women's soccer program are encouraged to join the Score One More Club. Lion alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners. All membership fees and donations to Score One More Club are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern soccer program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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