Trojans Claim 1-0 Exhibition Win Saturday

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock closed out its preseason exhibition schedule with a 1-0 shutout of Northwestern State Saturday afternoon at the Coleman Sports Complex.
 
The lone goal of the match, coming in the 40^th minute, tipped the outcome in Little Rock's favor as Vanessa Eklund pushed the ball in off the corner. Northwestern State would be unable to mount a comeback as the Trojans were able to utilize several personnel options to keep the Demons at bay.
 
"A lot of players got minutes today," said Little Rock Head Coach Mark Foster. "Right now is about the process more than the outcome but I am really pleased with today's outcome. The first 30 minutes was as good as we have started a match in a long time. We came out with intent and we worked super hard. We played really good, simple soccer. It was really fun to watch."
 
Both teams utilized an open-substitution format in order to gain experience for everyone available in advance of the regular season opening next week. Foster's Trojans saw 15 different players get more than 10 minutes of action on the field.
 
"There is a lot to be positive about and, at this stage, still a lot we need to work on to get better. Overall, I'm delighted to get more minutes and more match practice to be ready for the start of the season next weekend."
 
Northwestern State finished the 2020 season with a 9-3-2 mark, going 7-3-1 in Southland Conference play.
 
"This was a really good Northwestern State team that does really well every year in the Southland," Foster said of Saturday's opponent. "I'm delighted we did well against good competition today."
 
Little Rock's goalkeeping tandem of Paige Henry and Emily Samisch tallied two saves while the Trojan defense limited the Demons to just two shots. On the other side, Little Rock ripped seven shots overall, four of which went on goal.
 
The regular season will begin on Sunday, Aug. 22 when Little Rock hosts UT Martin at 1 p.m. at the Coleman Sports Complex. Gates open at 11 a.m. with a Trojan Tailgate for fans featuring free hot dogs and Loblolly will have a food truck available for the tailgate as well.
 
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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