On Sunday, Oct. 6, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns soccer squad faced their fourth match of conference play at home dubbed their Pink Game against the Troy Trojans. They would win 1–0, marking the first conference win of the season for the Cajuns.
In a press conference held the following day, Head Coach Chris McBride detailed the level of preparation that the team was able to go into the match with after a six-day break in play.
“We knew we could put a good game plan together and we executed it quite well,” McBride said. “I felt as if we created the opportunities that we worked on during the week at practice, especially in the first half.”
The Cajuns got a lot of pressure forward throughout the game, totaling 12 shots (five on goal). Four were saved by Troy keeper Isabella Tomeo.
“We got some big opportunities, we just weren’t clinical enough, but we wanted to persist at it and make sure we’re creating the same sort of looks.”
After a solid defensive first half, the Cajuns were able to take advantage deep into the second half. Forward Tatum Beck managed to beat her matchup in Brooke Slater on the right side of the box to put a skipping shot in the back of the net.
The defense ground out the rest of the game, putting their physical play on display (eight fouls) but not committing any game-blowing penalties.
“We got the same sort of look in the second half, and Tatum Beck was able to put one away,” McBride said. “Through the week that we had in preparation, we were able to at least limit what they had going forward and make them take some difficult opportunities.”
Up next on Thursday, Oct. 10, though, was perhaps the Cajuns’ biggest challenge of the season yet: a South Alabama Jaguars team with one of the best offenses within the conference.
McBride highlighted the importance of the match. “We know it’s going to be an important game. Every game’s an important game,” McBride said. “You’re at that point in the year now where you’ve only got two home games left, so it’s gonna be exciting to play the second-to-last home game of the year this early in the year.”
“We know they’re gonna come out and still play the same brand of soccer they have done over the past decade in the conference, so it’s going to be an exciting challenge.”
The explosiveness of the offense was foremost in McBride’s mind in preparation for the Jags: “They’ve got some really special players,” McBride said. “They can pop up and score a goal at any minute, they don’t need ten chances, they just need one.”
“It’s one of those ones where we’re gonna have to stay locked on defensively for 90 minutes front to back because if you give some of their players an inch inside the box, they’re gonna capitalize.”
As predicted, the Jaguars came out with a blistering pace that they sustained through almost the entire match. No Cajuns player besides keeper Natalie Mayes and senior defender Lauren Bennett managed to stay on the pitch for the match’s full 90 minutes.
In just the tenth minute, the Jags struck first. April Lantaigne took an expertly-drawn and expertly-choreographed free kick to the right of the box, rushing the forwards away from the goal and lofting the ball over the keeper to the far left side.
The Cajuns still managed their usual volume of offense with five corner kicks and thirteen shots (five on goal), but Jags keeper Allison Luckhardt was able to save all five throughout the match.
In a reversal of typical position for the Cajuns, the Jags’ pressure continued to increase late into the second half. In the 78th minute, Jags forward Juliana Lopes managed to place a left-footed crashing shot off a Irene Campo corner. It would be the first time this season the Cajuns would allow more than one goal at home.
Just two minutes later, Campo bagged a goal of her own off a Lantaigne corner kick to put away the Cajuns for good 3–0.
This outcome puts the Cajuns in a very tough position going forward, as they now sit behind three teams in the division and would likely have to win out to get anywhere near a decent seeding for the SBC Championship Tournament set to begin Nov. 4.
Next up for the Cajuns is a Friday afternoon Oct. 18 matchup against the Arkansas State Red Wolves, followed by a Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles game on Sunday, Oct. 24.