University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Sunday, October 8
Lafayette, La.
1:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
5-6-2, 2-4-0
2
vs
1
Southern Miss
6-6-1, 3-2-1
1
2
F
Southern Miss.
1
0
1
Louisiana
2
0
2
Great Team Performance Leads Louisiana Past USM, 2-1
10/8/2023 5:17:00 PM | Soccer
Waterhouse, Abbott each score goals as Cajuns clip Golden Eagles
LAFAYETTE – Hailly Waterhouse and Alyssa Abbott each scored their first goals of the season and the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Women's Soccer team grinded out a 2-1 victory over Sun Belt Conference rival Southern Miss on Sunday at the Home Bank Soccer and Track Complex.
Makenna Garcia and Natalie Mayes combined to stop five shots while Emma Bates, Mariella Stephens and Brynn Dunbar each posted assists for Louisiana (5-6-2, 2-4-0 SBC), which snapped a three-match losing skid.
"It was a really great team performance today, really proud of the effort of the girls today," head coach Chris McBride said. "They were able to show their character and fight through that second half against a great team in Southern Miss.
"It was a whole team performance and after being on the road on Thursday and having a tough start to (Sun Belt) conference play, that was a good boost of confidence to our girls going into the last part of the season."
Louisiana broke a scoreless contest in the 18th minute after earning its first corner of the match. Emma Bates lifted a shot into the box than glanced off the hands of USM goalkeeper Alex Helbling and found the right foot of Waterhouse, who placed the ball into the left corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.
USM (6-6-1, 3-2-1 SBC), who entered the match one point behind SBC West Division leader South Alabama in the standings, knotted the match in the 29th minute when Emilie Torres' scored her first goal of the season. After taking a crossing pass from Adaira Nakano, Torres lined a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that skimmed off the left post and caromed to the back of the net.
The Ragin' Cajuns would respond four minutes later after getting the ball into the USM third off a counter attack. Stephens sent a thru ball to Dunbar, whose cross deep into the USM 6-yard box found the foot of Abbott, who one-touched it past Helbling and give Louisiana the lead for good.
Southern Miss, which outshot Louisiana, 15-6, in the match, managed one shot on goal in the second half with Mayes stopping an attempt from Rebeka Vega late in the 81st minute.
Garcia stopped four shots – all in the first half – for Louisiana before leaving the match in the 65th minute with an injury. Led by Lauren Bennett, who played at USM in 2021 before transferring to Louisiana from Pearl River Community College, the Louisiana back line was able to keep the Golden Eagles off the board in the final 45 minutes.
"Lauren has been an absolute rock for us on the back end," McBride said of the team leader in minutes played in 2023. "She has been fantastic back there and gets better every single match. Today, she won her challenges in the air. She won her challenges on the ground. She was good with the ball at her feet. She did really well today and I'm proud of her performance."
Liberty Plasek and Sophie Placke each recorded shots on-goal for Louisiana, which won at home for the first time since a 2-0 win over South Florida on Aug. 20. Bates' assist was her second of the year, tying her with Mary Mueth for the team lead, while Dunbar was credited with her first career assist.
Torres, Vega and Alice Williamson each had a pair of shots on-goal for the Golden Eagles while Helbling stopped two shots.
Louisiana will return to action on Sunday when it travels to Mobile to face South Alabama in a 1 p.m. contest at The Cage. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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.
Makenna Garcia and Natalie Mayes combined to stop five shots while Emma Bates, Mariella Stephens and Brynn Dunbar each posted assists for Louisiana (5-6-2, 2-4-0 SBC), which snapped a three-match losing skid.
"It was a really great team performance today, really proud of the effort of the girls today," head coach Chris McBride said. "They were able to show their character and fight through that second half against a great team in Southern Miss.
"It was a whole team performance and after being on the road on Thursday and having a tough start to (Sun Belt) conference play, that was a good boost of confidence to our girls going into the last part of the season."
Louisiana broke a scoreless contest in the 18th minute after earning its first corner of the match. Emma Bates lifted a shot into the box than glanced off the hands of USM goalkeeper Alex Helbling and found the right foot of Waterhouse, who placed the ball into the left corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.
USM (6-6-1, 3-2-1 SBC), who entered the match one point behind SBC West Division leader South Alabama in the standings, knotted the match in the 29th minute when Emilie Torres' scored her first goal of the season. After taking a crossing pass from Adaira Nakano, Torres lined a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that skimmed off the left post and caromed to the back of the net.
The Ragin' Cajuns would respond four minutes later after getting the ball into the USM third off a counter attack. Stephens sent a thru ball to Dunbar, whose cross deep into the USM 6-yard box found the foot of Abbott, who one-touched it past Helbling and give Louisiana the lead for good.
Southern Miss, which outshot Louisiana, 15-6, in the match, managed one shot on goal in the second half with Mayes stopping an attempt from Rebeka Vega late in the 81st minute.
Garcia stopped four shots – all in the first half – for Louisiana before leaving the match in the 65th minute with an injury. Led by Lauren Bennett, who played at USM in 2021 before transferring to Louisiana from Pearl River Community College, the Louisiana back line was able to keep the Golden Eagles off the board in the final 45 minutes.
"Lauren has been an absolute rock for us on the back end," McBride said of the team leader in minutes played in 2023. "She has been fantastic back there and gets better every single match. Today, she won her challenges in the air. She won her challenges on the ground. She was good with the ball at her feet. She did really well today and I'm proud of her performance."
Liberty Plasek and Sophie Placke each recorded shots on-goal for Louisiana, which won at home for the first time since a 2-0 win over South Florida on Aug. 20. Bates' assist was her second of the year, tying her with Mary Mueth for the team lead, while Dunbar was credited with her first career assist.
Torres, Vega and Alice Williamson each had a pair of shots on-goal for the Golden Eagles while Helbling stopped two shots.
Louisiana will return to action on Sunday when it travels to Mobile to face South Alabama in a 1 p.m. contest at The Cage. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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.
Team Stats
USM
LA
Goals
1
2
Shots
15
6
Shots on Goal
6
4
Saves
2
5
Corners
5
4
Fouls
14
10
Scoring Plays
Hailly Waterhouse (1)
Assisted By: Emma Bates
Right-footed shot off deflection off USM GK; ball sent in on corner kick
17:03
Emilie Torres (1)
Assisted By: Adaira Nakano
Blast from right side of 18-yard box; beat GK to lower left post
28:16
Alyssa Abbott (1)
Assisted By: Mariella Stephens , Brynn Dunbar
Scored off cross from inside the 6-yard box
32:33
Game Leaders
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
mid
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
MF
/ SoccerMF
/ Soccer
D
/ SoccerMF
/ Soccer
GK
/ Soccer
GK
/ Soccer
D
/ Soccer
F
/ Soccer
D
/ Soccer
MF
/ SoccerMF
/ SoccerChris McBride Media Avialbility (Oct 13, 2025)
Monday, October 13
Chris McBride Media Availability (Oct 6, 2025)
Monday, October 06
Chris McBride Media Availability Sep 29, 2025
Monday, September 29
Chris McBride Media Avialbility (Sep 22, 2025)
Monday, September 22
