Troy Soccer Falls to LSU in Season Opener

Friday, August 22

Baton Rouge, La.

7:00 pm

Troy University

0-1-0

LSU

1-0-0

Troy

LSU

Photo by: Cass Davis

8/22/2014 10:39:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: Wes Johnson

Box Score

Baton Rouge, La. – The Troy University soccer team fell 2-0 in its season opener to a talented LSU squad at the LSU Soccer Stadium on Friday. The game also marked the debut for head coach Jason Hamilton.

The Trojans (0-1) fired off 11 shots against the Tigers, the most against an SEC opponent since taking 11 shots against Mississippi State on Sept. 16, 2011.

LSU (1-0) made a statement early when Jorian Baucom headed home a cross from Fernanda Pina from eight yards out just 48 seconds into the match. The Trojans threatened in the 16^th minute with a one-time shot from Louise Cheng. A nice save by Lily Alfeld kept the Tigers out front.

The Tigers maintained possession and controlled the tempo of the game most of the first half. Freshman Mikki Lewis thwarted a pair of LSU strikes, once in the 22^nd and another in the 26^th minute. Lewis became the first freshman to start at goalkeeper for Troy since Katie Cameno-Lewis on Oct. 31, 2012. She finished the game with six saves. Chelsey Williams played a great ball to the front of the box to Jasmine Fahrnbauer in the 33^rd minute, but the shot sailed high by inches.

LSU again struck quickly as the match resumed after halftime. Natalia Gomez-Junco scored off a deflection from distance 13 minutes into the second half to give the Tigers the decisive 2-0 advantage. Jane Latif had an opportunity to get Troy on the board in the 77^th minute but her shot from 25 yards missed wide.

"We definitely held our own against a very good team. We had some extremely good moments in the game where we were able to create chance," head coach Jason Hamilton said. "Unfortunately, in the first moments of the game our nerves got the best of us. The next 44 minutes were a battle and we were ready to go out and get the second half started because we felt like we had a very good opportunity to even the game."

It was a special moment in the 39^th minute as senior Kailani Decock entered as a substitution. It was Decock's first appearance in over a year after battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma during the 2013 season. She played 18 minutes in the match.

Freshmen Mallary Hedden and Natalie Melillo made their college debuts for Troy in the match and impressed Hamilton with their poise.

"The freshman that got time in this game were outstanding. Mikki made some really good saves, Mallary started and held her own with some very good forwards. Natalie came on and gave us some quality minutes. I couldn't have been happier with the way that they played," Hamilton said.

The Trojans will travel to Ruston, La., to face Louisiana Tech on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (CT).

For more information about the Troy soccer team, visit TroyTrojans.com or follow the team on Twitter at @TroyTrojansWSOC.