Soccer falters as Sun Belt Conference play continues

The Trojans ended their first Sun Belt Conference home match with a tough 1-0 loss to Southern Miss on Thursday night at the Troy Soccer Complex. 

The match started with the Trojans controlling possession, firing off 14 shots in the first half. However, Troy couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities. Southern Miss managed to score its first goal in the 65th minute, ending Troy’s home winning streak. 

Kathryn Clark photo

Grace Deshetler prepares for a throw-in in Troy's match against Southern Miss.

Despite the result, the Trojans played aggressively on offense, ending the match with 21 shots, 12 of which were on goal. Forward Jiselle Daniels led the team with a striking eight shots, with four on target.  

“We've got to defend better, and we've got to finish our chances,” said head coach Stuart Gore. 

The Trojans then headed to San Marcos, Texas, on Sunday to face off against Texas State. The Trojans had another scoreless first half, but Texas State managed to score early in the second half to secure the win.  

Troy finished with 15 shots -- one being on goal -- and three corner kicks. The Trojans fell short as the Bobcats secured the 1-0 victory. 

Over the offseason, the team has had the addition of many young players, who are still learning the ropes of the collegiate game. Coach Gore spoke on the challenge of playing against veteran squads with such a young roster.  

“Our young team battled so hard tonight against a veteran team in Texas State,” Gore said. “People forget we have 19 underclassmen on our team.  

“We created opportunities, we just need to put them on frame." 

Goalkeeper Taylor Richards had a career-high nine saves against the Bobcats, bringing her save percentage of the season to a striking .841. She’s ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference for save percentage. Richards is also ranked second in the league in goals against average.  

The Trojans will return home to the Troy Soccer Complex, where the team will battle it out against James Madison on Saturday, Sep. 27 at 7 p.m.