Troy Grinds Out 1-0 Win Over Little Rock

October 6, 2017

TROY, Alabama – Despite being down a player for the final 30 minutes of the game, the Troy defense held firm to earn a 1-0 win over Little Rock at the Troy Soccer Complex on Friday.

Julia Winter scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season to lead the Trojans to their third win in Sun Belt Conference play.

Troy (5-8-2, 3-3 Sun Belt) earned a corner in the 49^th minute where Kiersten Edlund placed a near-perfect service to the back post. Winter found herself in perfect position to flick it home for the eventual game-winner. Edlund now has three assists on the season.

Nicole Strahl was handed her second yellow card with 30:36 remaining in the contest, forcing the Trojans finish out the game with 10 players. Even as Little Rock began throwing players forward, Troy allowed just one shot on goal.

Winter nearly gave Troy the lead in the first half but her shot in the 16^th minute hit the crossbar and Claire Taylor’s follow-up sailed high. Qarli Stone also just missed on a scoring opportunity when her shot late in the game missed the post by inches.

Haleigh Mercer started in goal for Troy and played the first 45 minutes before giving way to Katrine Jacobsen, who recorded two saves in the second half and earned the win. The Trojans have now pitched six shutouts on the season.

QUOTABLE

“It’s the performance the girls have been searching for for a number of weeks,” Troy head coach Ged O’Connor said. “Not just the win or the clean sheet, but the manner of the victory, especially playing with 10 men towards the end of the game.”

UP NEXT

With Sunday’s match against Georgia Southern being postponed to Oct. 29, Troy will not play again until Oct. 13 when it hosts Georgia State.

NOTEWORTHY

• Two of Edlund’s three assists have come from corners. The lone assist to come in the run of play also led to a game-winner against Appalachian State.

• Taylor, Edlund, Maddie Brune, Mecca Cobbin and Lauren Aldrich all played the full 90 minutes.

• Troy is 7-1-1 in the last nine meeting against Little Rock.