LAFAYETTE, La. – Little Rock soccer (2-5-2, 2-3-2 Sun Belt) held the Ragin' Cajuns (8-3-1, 4-2-1 Sun Belt) scoreless in enemy territory this evening to not only put an end to Louisiana's six-game win streak but also collect another point in conference play for the Trojans following a 0-0 draw in double overtime.
Louisiana attempted 17 shots on the night, almost triple the six that Little Rock placed, in a frantic effort to break through a Trojan defense that would not let the Ragin' Cajuns too close.
"They struggled to break us down and get through them," added head coach
Mark Foster. "Their best chances came off long shots and corners. It was a really solid defensive game."
One defensive highlight of the evening came after Louisiana took a long range shot that hit the Trojan crossbar and fell down to a Cajun forward that was rushing in.
Julia Edholm and
Natalee Geren recovered well and teamed up to pressure the player to put the ball over early rather than take her time to aim.
Another show of grit came before the match even begun. The game was delayed an hour and a half prior to kickoff due to lightning and storms in the area, but the Trojans were able to stay focused on the match.
"I'm delighted in the girls for staying mentally strong and staying professional after two lightning delays, sitting around in the locker room and waiting to play, and then playing through all 90 minutes and two overtimes," said Coach Foster. "It was a performance the girls can be proud of because I know I'm proud of how they handled tonight, stuck together, and battled hard against a great team."
Both of Little Rock's best opportunities came late in the second half from none other than
Doro Greulich. In one instance off a free kick from Geren, Greulich flicked it up but the ball went just high. The senior's other attempt, just minutes later, forced the Louisiana goalkeeper to make a long dive to stop the ball from going into the left side of the goal.
Evenings like these prove that Little Rock has the determination to be a force in the upcoming Sun Belt Tournament. "I think we're in a good place," remarked Coach Foster. "That's four games with only one loss, and we're hoping to have that consistency and try to get a win next week. We're playing for third place in the seedings so there's still a lot to play for with one game left. I'm really excited for how it's shaping up."
Come out to see the Trojans conclude the regular season at home this upcoming Thursday, October 29 at 5:00 p.m. Little Rock will welcome ULM to the Coleman Sports Complex for Senior Day, featuring a ceremony honoring the four Trojan seniors during halftime.
For the latest information on Little Rock Soccer, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockSOC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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