EUNICE, La. – No. 13 LSU Eunice continued its high-scoring ways of late as the Bengals tallied a 6-0 shutout of Southwest Mississippi on Saturday at the Bengal Soccer Complex. It was a welcomed return to the Cajun Prairie for a Bengals (3-2-1) side that has not played at home since an exhibition on August 13.
The six goals were a season high in a single game for the Bengals and the most in program history since scoring seven goals twice during the 2020 campaign. The all-time mark is a 9-0 victory over Jacksonville College in LSUE's first ever season, 2018.
After several offensive buildups in the early moments of the game, the Bengals would find the back of the net in the 19th minute.
Isabelle Smith (Lafayette, LA, Acadiana HS) executed a text book give-and-go with
Citlaly Santibanez (Dallas, TX, Wylie HS) as Smith streaked down the right side of the field. The sophomore motored through the Bears defense, ending up with a back post shot from a few yards out.
Right before LSUE would add another just before half as
Morgan Bean (Ruston, LA, Ruston HS) sent a low bouncing cross towards net that was stuffed home by
Sadie Bourgeois (Saint Amant, LA, Saint Amant HS). The 38th minute tally sent LSUE into halftime up 2-0, outshooting Southwest Mississippi 14-2 in the first half alone.
The Bengals would put nine shots on frame while goalkeeper
Avery Wright (Temple, TX, Salado HS) faced just two shots on goal for the entire match.
LSUE would push past the Bears with a flurry of goals midway through the second half.
Ellie Gregg (Braintree, England, Helena Romanes School) would send the sideline into a frenzy as the freshman blasted a rocket from five yards outside the top of the box in the 64th minute. Bourgeois would secure a brace just a minute later on a tap in thanks to a great run and feed from
Kiley Jones (Walker, LA, High Mowing HS (NH)).
Yasly Escobar (Houston, TX, Cypress Springs HS) pushed the Bengals' lead to 5-0 in the 68th as she drilled home a header off a corner kick from Bean.
Brooklyn Lough (Boise, ID, Centennial HS) put an exclamation point on the victory with another header goal in the 84th, taking a long cross from Jones.
LSUE returns to action next Sunday, September 18 as the Bengals head back out to Texas to face Ranger College. The Bengals welcome Cisco College to the Cajun Prairie on Saturday, September 24.
