Final Stats

LA Tech vs. USA box

LA Tech season stats

TROY, Ala. -- Louisiana Tech knew it had a tough task on its hand on Friday afternoon going up against South Alabama, a team that was receiving points in the NSCAA Top 25 and was riding a 17-match unbeaten streak in the regular season.

One defensive mistake was all it took for the Lady Techsters to fall to the Jaguars, 1-0, in the first match of the Trojan Classic at the Troy Soccer Complex.

Instead of keeping a proper shape by staying wide, LA Tech (2-1) allowed a header goal in the 40th minute by Steffi Hardy which proved to be the difference.

"Any team who is under consideration for a top 25 ranking is not going to be a push over and so it proved," head coach Kevin Sherry said. "It was a very tough game, physically and tactically, as South Alabama had some very technical players on their roster that caused us problems.

We had to adapt and our players had to learn very quickly in order to hang in there and compete. The goal we gave away was a defensive mistake heading back into trouble instead of away and wide. That was frustrating. This challenge was a good thing for the team and we hope it will prepare us for conference play."

There was little to zero action in the final third for either team in the first 25 minutes of action, combining for just one shot attempt, perhaps shaking off some rust from a lightning delay. Soon thereafter, South Alabama (3-0) got off a trio of shots on goal in the span of three minutes, but Kylee Seto saved all three to keep the match at nil-nil.

USA took the lead just five minutes before halftime while also holding Tech without a single shot attempt.

The first shot by the Lady Techsters came off the foot of Donya Salomon-Ali in the first minute of the second period, but the attempt sailed high.

LA Tech struggled to create scoring opportunities, but did had a glimmer of hope late in the second period when Jaguar Ashlynn Jones picked up her second yellow card of the match, giving her a red card and putting her team down a player for the final three minutes.

Salomon-Ali had another chance at the equalizer with mere seconds remaining with a good angle, but the senior's shot went wide from right outside the keeper's box.

It was a physical match throughout with both teams combining for 31 fouls, 15 of which were whistled on the Techsters, the most in a 90-minute match since 2011.

Seto registered seven saves in the loss.

LA Tech returns to action on Sunday at 3 p.m. when they take on host Troy.

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GAME NOTES

Kylee Seto registered seven saves on the day. That brings her career total to 97 which moved the junior into fourth in program history.

LA Tech had zero shot attempts in the first period. The last time that happened was also against South Alabama in 2013. USA went on to win that match, 1-0.

South Alabama now leads the all-time series, 3-1-1.

The Lady Techsters are now a career 3-3-1 in participating in the Trojan Classic.

Brittany Beddow made her team-leading 63rd career start.

Lisanne Kleygrewe made her first start of the season. The sophomore made two starts last season.

LA Tech was whistled for 15 fouls, the most in a 90-minute match since Oct. 21, 2011 when the Techsters had 17 at Fresno State.

LA Tech was limited to just two shots in the entire game. That was the fewest shot attempts since Oct. 21, 2007 when they had zero at Nevada.