BATON ROUGE – The LSU Tigers stormed back from a goal down late in the match with freshman Gabriela Maldonado and sophomore Debbie Hahn each finding the back of the net in the 64^th and 70^th minutes to give the home side a valuable three points in SEC play with a 2-1 win over Missouri on Friday night at the LSU Soccer Stadium.

The Tigers (8-3-3, 2-3-1 SEC) snapped a three-game winless streak in SEC play with Friday’s win against Missouri (5-4-4, 3-2-1) while extending their home unbeaten streak to 10-straight matches. They are now 7-0-3 on their home field during the 2015 season with three wins coming against teams ranked in the Top 35 of the NCAA’s Ratings Percentage Index.

LSU also improved to 3-1 all-time in its four meetings with Missouri on the soccer pitch while returning to the win column in the series for the first time since a 1-0 home win two seasons ago in 2013.

“It was nice to get the result, and it was even better to get it that way,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee of his team’s ability to come from behind to claim the three points. “I thought we played really well. Our attacking combinations were strong and the back four held firm. Missouri is such a unique team in that they’re just going to keep coming at your back line and press you and bring waves off the bench to keep running at you and not give you any space. I thought our kids handled it really well and came through.”

Melanie Donaldson headed the visitors in front in the 57^th minute with her first goal of the season from a corner kick by Kaitlyn Clark as she rose above the rest to fire home from six yards inside the right post.

But the Tigers responded just minutes later when Maldonado fired home a rebound from the top of the six-yard box in the 64^th minute after Hahn’s initial attempt was deflected into her path for a clean look at goal. It was a case of being in the right place at the right time as the Colombian youth international found the roof of the net for her second goal of the season.

Maldonado then returned the favor in the 70^th minute when she one-timed a square ball by senior midfielder Heather Magee into Hahn’s path in space behind Missouri’s retreating back line. Hahn found separation on her right foot in the right side of the area and slotted what proved to be the game-winner inside the left post from 10 yards beyond the reach of Missouri’s goalkeeper Kristen Rivers.

A sophomore transfer from Florida State, Hahn bagged her third goal of the season at the 69:07 mark to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish as they snapped a three-game winless streak in SEC play.

“The team has to have that mentality in every game. I think going forward that’s a big thing for us to focus on,” said senior captain Alex Arlitt of the team’s mindset to come from behind late in the game to pick up a big three points in SEC play. “Right after they got the goal, I think we maybe put our heads down for a minute or two, but it’s really important in those situations for everyone to collectively say, ‘You know, let’s go. We have plenty of time. We can get a goal.’ That’s what we did. We picked it right back up and got the goals.”

LSU threatened to add to its advantage in the latter stages as Maldonado and fellow freshman Alex Thomas each hit the woodwork in a span of two minutes late in the contest. Maldonado clipped the left post from 10 yards in the right side of the area in the 75^th minute before Thomas’ breakaway attempt was saved by Rivers into the crossbar in the 77^th minute to deny the home side a late two-goal lead.

The Tigers were on the front foot for much of the night as they finished with eight shots on goal on their 16 attempts on the night along with two corner kicks. Missouri found the frame four times on its 13 attempts for the night while leading the way with six corner kicks in 90 minutes of action. Both teams were whistled for six fouls in the match.

Notably missing from LSU’s attack on the night was the NCAA’s fourth-leading goal scorer in sophomore striker Jorian Baucom, who was forced to miss the match due to yellow card accumulation on the season.

“Obviously, not having Jorian, a lot of different players had to step up tonight,” Lee explained of his team’s ability to overcome Baucom’s absence in the attack. “Much like they did against Duke earlier in the year when we were without (Alex Arlitt), I thought the effort was there throughout the team. They kept going and kept pushing and got a deserved result in the end.”

With Friday’s home match against Missouri now in the books, the Tigers continue their split weekend on Sunday afternoon as they head to Gainesville, Florida, to face the 12^th-ranked Florida Gators at James G.  Pressly Stadium with kickoff set for Noon CT on the SEC Network+. LSU follows with a trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas, next Thursday to battle the Razorbacks at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network.

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