Louisiana Hosts Southern Miss In Annual Pink Match

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Women's Soccer team returns to action on Sunday when it faces Sun Belt Conference rival Southern Miss in the annual Pink Match at the Home Bank Track and Soccer Complex.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ with live stats available at CajunStats.com. Admission to all Ragin' Cajuns home soccer matches is free.

The first 100 fans in attendance to Sunday's match will receive a free pink wrist band.

Louisiana (4-6-2, 1-4-0 SBC) looks to get back into the win column after falling at Georgia Southern, 3-1, on Thursday. Briana Henry scored an equalizer for the Ragin' Cajuns in the second half before the Eagles scored twice in less than a minute to pull away.

Megan Bradley (3), Henry (2) and Sisley Stephens (2) lead Louisiana in goals scored on the season with Mary Mueth leading the team with a pair of assists. Makenna Garcia – the SBC leader in total saves (61) – has notched four shutouts on the season while posting a 1.52 goals against average.

USM (6-5-1, 3-1-1 SBC) scored a pair of second-half goals to earn a 2-1 win over Georgia State in its last match. The Golden Eagles, one point behind SBC West Division leader South Alabama, have earned wins over Troy and Arkansas State while earning a scoreless draw against USA.

Adaira Nakano has scored six goals for USM on the season to rank tied for fifth among SBC players with Alex Helbling sporting a 1.60 goals against average for the Golden Eagles.

The meeting – the second between the schools as SBC members – is the eighth overall with USM holding a 4-3-1 lead. The Golden Eagles claimed last year's regular-season finale between the schools, 1-0.

Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsSOC), Instagram (@RaginCajunsSOC) and Facebook (Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Soccer) or check RaginCajuns.com for Louisiana soccer updates.

MATCH INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (4-6-2, 1-4-0 SBC) vs. SOUTHERN MISS (6-5-1, 3-1-1 SBC)
Date / Time: October 8, 2023/ 1 p.m. CT
Site: Lafayette, La.
Stadium: Home Bank Track and Soccer Complex (Grass)

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Chris McBride
Record at Louisiana: 7-15-7 (second season); Overall Record: 38-57-22 (seventh season)

SOUTHERN MISS
Head Coach: Mohammad El-Zare
Record at USM: 76-85-26 (11^th season); Overall Record: Same

VIDEO/LIVE STATS/SOCIAL UPDATES
Live Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsSOC
Hashtag: #GeauxCajuns

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Southern Miss leads, 4-3-1
In Lafayette: Southern Miss leads, 2-1-1
In Hattiesburg: Series tied, 2-2-0
Streak: USM +2

CORNER KICKS
• Louisiana faces Southern Miss in the annual Pink Match on Sunday at the Home Bank Track and Soccer Complex.
• The Ragin' Cajuns look to get back on track offensively after scoring three goals during the month of September.
• Louisiana's three wins in the month of August tied the school record which was previously set in 2010 (3-1-0).
• Eleven of Louisiana's 11 goals in 2023 have been scored by either freshmen or sophomore with 10 scored by reserves.
• Eight players on the roster have scored at least one goal in 2023.
• Super Senior Karleen Bedre enters the season ranked in the top five in school history in matches played (88), matches started (81), points (56), goals (19), assists (18), match-winning goals (6) and penalty kicks made (2).
• Her appearance against Old Dominion on Sept. 21 was her 85th, breaking the school record (84) set by Courtney Hofland from 2006-10.
• Bedre's 81 career start at Georgia Southern passed Hofland for the UL school-record.
• Bedre is second among active SBC players in goals (19), assists (18) and points (56).
• Makenna Garcia's 61 saves in 2023 leads the Sun Belt Conference and 37th nationally.
• Garcia's four shutouts in 2023 is tied for fifth in school history.
• Garcia leads all SBC goalkeepers in saves (30) and saves per match (6.00) in league only play.
• Her 12 saves at Old Dominion are the most by a SBC goalkeeper in 2023.
• The Ragin' Cajuns opened with five of their first six regular-season matches on the road.
• Only five position players - Lauren Bennett (1031), Hailly Waterhouse (900), Mariella Stephens (766), Tatum Beck (684), Sisley Stephens (642) and Karleen Bedre (618) - have played more than 600 minutes on the pitch through the first 12 matches.
• Megan Bradley's two goals at Florida International on Sept. 3 was the first multi-goal match of her career.

BY THE NUMBERS
1 – Goals needed by Karleen Bedre to become the fifth player in school history with 20+ goals in a career.
2 – Sets of sisters on the 2022 squad - Mariella and Sisley Stephens; Gabi and Sophie Placke.
5 – Total of Hat Tricks recorded in Ragin' Cajuns history.
8 – Players who have scored at least one goal in 2023.
10 – Goals scored by reserves in the 2023 season.
11 – Goals scored for Louisiana in 2023 by either freshmen or sophomores.
13 – Goals allowed in the second half by Louisiana on the season (out of 18 total).
20 – Number of players who have logged over 200-plus minutes during the 2023 season.
81 – Career matches started by Karleen Bedre, breaking the school record set by Courtney Hofland (2006-10).

UP NEXT
• Louisiana heads back out on the road next Sunday when it travels to Mobile, Ala., to face South Alabama in a 1 p.m. contest at The Cage.
• The Ragin' Cajuns will return home to face Arkansas State on Oct. 19 in a 7 p.m. contest.

Louisiana Hosts Southern Miss In Annual Pink Match

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tatum Beck

Karleen Bedre

Lauren Bennett

Megan Bradley

Makenna Garcia

Briana Henry

Mary Mueth

Sophie Placke

Mariella Stephens

Sisley Stephens

Hailly Waterhouse

Footer

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics