Boxscore BATON ROUGE, La. ? LSU took control of the game in the early-going, but Louisiana Tech fought hard defensively in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of their in-state rival on Sunday. The crowd of 935 at the LSU Soccer Complex was the largest to ever witness a Lady Techster soccer game and the fifth-largest in LSU history.
?The team gave everything they had today,? head coach
Kevin Sherry said. ?I am so proud of them.
"LSU is bigger, faster and stronger. It will take at least eight weeks of conditioning to get to that level. We are making strides with every game, but I hope everyone realizes that it will take a while to get to where we need to be. We definitely made some great strides today.?
Lady Techster sophomore keeper
Tara Gavlak, who missed Friday?s game with Furman due to injury, had a busy day, facing seven shots on goal and making five saves on the afternoon. She also had a hand in ending several LSU scoring threats as she intercepted numerous crosses. LSU kept the pressure on throughout the match, recording 16 shots to Tech?s four.
The Lady Tigers got on the board just seven minutes into the game when Melissa Clarke bent a shot from inside the 6-yard box off the near post to give LSU a 1-0 lead.
Tech had its best opportunity of the first half when
Denise Wilson got loose from the LSU defense, but her attempt toward the near post was gloved by LSU keeper Valerie Vogler.
LSU found its second scoring opportunity in the 17th minute when Tech junior
Savanna Russo was given a yellow card after grabbing a Lady Tiger?s jersey just outside the box. Gavlak was able to bat away the ensuing free kick, but Roslyn Jones? header on the rebound found a wide-open net, giving the Lady Tigers a 2-0 lead.
The Tech defense tightened the screws, though, and did not allow a Tiger goal for the final 73 minutes, despite several great opportunities.
Whitney Lanie took the best shot of the day for Tech when she fired from about 25 yards in the 55th minute, but her shot clanged off the far post.
Sarah Chovanec had another attempt off the ensuing corner kick, but her shot sailed wide left. Tech had one final opportunity in the closing seconds of the match when Wilson?s cross found
Jillian Pinder just outside the six-yard box. Her attempt, however, found the waiting arms of Vogler as the final whistle sounded.
Louisiana Tech hits the field once again on Wednesday, Sept. 5, as they travel to Natchitoches to take on Northwestern State. Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.
