Late Penalty Kick Dooms Ladyjacks in Non-Conference Loss to Southern Miss, 3-2

Sunday, August 20

Hattiesburg, MS

12:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

0-2

Southern Miss

2-0

SFA

Southern Miss

Late Penalty Kick Dooms Ladyjacks in Non-Conference Loss to Southern Miss, 3-2

8/20/2017 4:40:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

SFA held the edge in shots (20-18) and corner kicks (7-3)

By: Kevin Meyer | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

HATTIEBURG, Miss. – A late penalty call given in the game's most crucial moment saddled the Stephen F. Austin women's soccer team with a loss on Sunday at Southern Miss, 3-2. Twice the Ladyjacks had taken the lead over the home squad and twice the Golden Eagles had battled back to tie it, and the game seemed destined for overtime before a penalty kick was awarded in the game's 88^th minute to the Golden Eagles, who converted the timely PK into the deciding goal in the 3-2 victory.

The loss drops Stephen F. Austin to 0-2 on the season, and leaves a sour taste in the mouth as a game that should have been won, or at the very least, decided in a different fashion.

""I think you've got to go through some experiences in order to appreciate them, said SFA head coach Wally Crittenden. "All in all, it was not the type of overall performance that is indicative of how we practice and prepare, so from that standpoint it was little disappointing. That being said, we still did some really good things. We scored two goals, and for a team like Southern to come back twice from being a goal down will serve as a lesson for us on how to put teams away moving forward."

From the onset of play, the Ladyjacks did well to press their attack on the Golden Eagles and earn quality looks on goal. In the ninth minute, the first such chance came in the form of an excellent shot from freshman Sophia Fondren, whose shot was knocked away by Southern Miss goalkeeper Kelly Brahmbhatt at the last moment. Shortly thereafter, Caylon McMillan's shot from 26 yards out missed wide left, and in the 14^th minute, the Ladyjacks were struck by a spell of bad luck, as the team earned two point-blank shots in quick succession, only to see both shots hit the goalposts and bounce away. The pair of near misses off the frame were just the first of what amounted to five total shots off the goal frame on the day, a frustrating figure by all accounts.

"I don't believe I've ever been part of a game where we've hit the post five times; that's pretty impressive", Crittenden explained. "We created enough chances to win by a comfortable margin. For their part, they had chances where they converted, and the PK in the last 90 seconds is frustrating, but you don't give up a PK unless you're defending in your penalty box, so we'll learn from this one and keep moving forward."

In the 31^st minute of play, the Ladyjacks finally struck pay dirt, as freshman midfielder Katelyn Termini put the finishing touches on a bit of combo play from Michaela Mencacci and fellow freshman Sabrina Segovia. Her finish from about 15 yards out marked her first collegiate goal and gave the Ladyjacks their first lead of the young season. The 'Jacks would carry that 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

Opening the second half with some renewed offensive momentum, Southern Miss forced an early save by freshman keeper Madeline Talbot in the 46^th minute, then found their equalizer in the 48^th minute of play on a long service into the box, which was headed past Talbot by Southern Miss defender Ashton Stennis.

Following the tying goal, the two sides settled into nearly 30 minutes of back-and-forth play before SFA took their second lead of the game in the 77^th minute. A hefty punt from Talbot touched down on the Golden Eagles side of the field, where midfielder Madison Hall battled three defenders for the ball on the bounce, beat all three down the left side and shot the ball past the keeper from about eight yards out. That goal gave SFA a 2-1 lead in the 77^th minute of play, but that margin would not last for long.

Just three minutes later, a Golden Eagle shot from 25 yards out forced a diving save attempt from Talbot, who was able to get her gloves on the ball and knock it into the post, only to see it deflect back into the goal to once again tie the game.

After yielding a second equalizer, the 'Jacks got an opportunity to take the lead once again, as leading goal scorer from a year ago Hanna Barker got a look at goal in the 85^th minute, only to see the shot sail over the goal instead.

As the game seemed headed for overtime, a service into the Ladyjack's goal area created a flurry of movement, and in the resulting fray a Golden Eagle went down to the ground. A few seconds later, a whistle was blown, as the referee awarded a penalty kick as a result of the contact. Southern Miss would convert the opportunity in the 88^th minute of play, capping off a stunning turn of events in the games final minutes.

For SFA, their next match will come in the form of a road tilt at University of Texas-San Antonio on Friday, August 25^th.

-SFA-