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LSU SOCCER WRAPS UP ROAD SWING WITH 2-1 WIN AT HOUSTON
HOUSTON, Texas – Two
Tiger seniors opened their accounts in Tuesday’s victory as midfielder
Taryne Boudreau netted her first goal of the season in the 10th minute
and senior defender Kellie Murphy scored the game-winner in the 74th
minute to put the LSU soccer team back in the win column with a 2-1
victory over the Houston Cougars at Robertson Stadium.
With
the win, the Tigers (2-3) remain unbeaten against the Cougars (0-5) in
their all-time series as they sit at 2-0-1 in three matches, which
includes a 1-0-1 mark in fixtures played at Robertson Stadium.
Boudreau
provided the offensive spark for the Tigers on Tuesday night as she not
just scored her first goal of the season to give LSU the early 1-0
lead, but she assisted on Murphy’s game-winner late in the contest on
one of 13 corner kicks taken by the Tigers during the match.
“This
team played with much better effort tonight. That was the difference,”
Boudreau said. “I thought we played with each other and for each other
like we know we should. We’ve been putting ourselves in some good
positions to score goals. We were able to finish a couple of those
chances tonight.”
The Tigers turned up the heat on the
Houston defense early and often as Boudreau scored the first goal for
the match inside of 10 minutes on an easy finish from six yards out.
With
senior midfielder Allysha Chapman leading the attack on the left wing,
Boudreau positioned herself at the top of the six-yard box near the
right post as she anticipated a cross into the area. Chapman centered a
low, lining cross untouched to Boudreau wide open in front of the net
as her fellow Canadian buried the strike inside the left post past a
helpless Cami Koski in goal for the Cougars.
Boudreau’s
goal was sparked by a tremendous defensive effort by LSU senior
goalkeeper Mo Isom on the other end as she came up with a class save
one-on-one with Houston striker Katelyn Rhodes.
Rhodes
found herself open in the left side of the area when a Cougar
midfielder slotted her through ball in space behind the LSU back line.
Rhodes took a quick touch and fired from just beyond the penalty spot
as her attempt was saved out of the area by a diving Isom going the
other way in the LSU attack.
Boudreau netted her first
goal of the 2011 season on the other end following a centering pass by
Chapman as she fought to get to the end line in the attack down the
left side.
As the Tigers continued to push for their
second goal deep in the second half, Boudreau stood over LSU’s 12th of
13 corner kicks as the clock neared the 74:00 mark. She played her
service to senior forward Carlie Banks standing just inside the penalty
area directly in front of the net, who then found Murphy wide open on
the right post inside the six-yard box for a clinical finish and a 2-0
lead at the 73:39 mark.
Jessica Zavalza pulled one back
for the Cougars with just 94 seconds remaining in the contest at the
88:36 mark, but it proved to be too little too late as the Tigers ran
out the clock on Houston’s comeback bid.
“It’s a good
night. It’s always great to come away with any win on the road,” said
LSU head coach Brian Lee. “Overall, I was pleased with our work rate
tonight. I thought our kids played with intensity and much greater
sense of urgency from the start tonight. It was really sparked by a
great start with the early goal.”
The Tigers are ready to
return Baton Rouge this weekend for their 2011 home opener as they
welcome the Oregon Ducks on Friday night for the opening match at the
new LSU Soccer Stadium that is set to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. CDT. LSU
then follows with a Sunday fixture against one of the NCAA’s hottest
clubs in the No. 13-ranked Pepperdine Waves with kickoff set for 1:07
p.m.
Sunday’s match will be the first of two LSU Soccer
matches shown on live television this season as it will be broadcast to
a regional audience on Cox Sports Television. LSU will go on the road
later this season to face the Florida Gators on Sunday, Oct. 23, in a
nationally-televised match on ESPNU.
The opening weekend
at the LSU Soccer Stadium will feature a pair of doubleheaders as
Pepperdine is set to take on No. 20-ranked Illinois on Friday at 5
p.m., and Illinois and Oregon meet on Sunday at 10 a.m.
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