STATESBORO, GA. – Georgia Southern killed off a second half rally to post a 3-2 win over UALR on a Chamber of Commerce Sunday afternoon at Eagle Field. The Eagles improved to 9-2-1 on the season with a perfect 4-0 mark in the Sun Belt to retain control of first place in the league. The UALR Trojans fell to 0-3-1 in the league with a 9-3-1 overall mark.

"It was good for our team to win a physical match like we had today," said Head Coach Brian Dunleavy. "Little Rock was an organized, physical team that played hard to get back into the match. We started off the game nicely and got a very good goal from Melinda Lukas early. We were very dangerous in the attacking third. Once we went 3-1 up, Little Rock started throwing numbers forward, and we showed that we could do enough to get the win today."

Melinda Lukas got her second goal of the weekend and sixth of the season on 30 minutes when a through ball from Nora El-Shami sprung the winger down the left flank. She deked a defender and took a shot from 15 yards on the wide side of the field that surprised the keeper and found the twine to put the Eagles up 1-0.

The Eagles doubled their lead just seven minutes later as Stephanie Gratto got her second goal of the weekend to make the score 2-0. A corner kick from El-Shami was headed goalwards by Alli Brashear. The UALR keeper parried the attempt to the boot of Gratto where the junior scored through a window in the Trojan defense.

The Eagles took their second 2-0 advantage of the weekend into the halftime locker room, but things changed in the 65th minute as UALR got off the mark.

The Trojans played the ball in behind the Eagle defense, allowing Fali Garuba to head the cross for the visitors' first goal, making the line 2-1.

Things wouldn't stay that way long as the Eagles took the ball straight down the field and defender Alana McShane was fouled in the danger area to give the Eagles a spot kick just 20 seconds after the goal was scored.

El-Shami took the spot kick which was saved to the keeper's right. Taylor Burns was first on the scene to slot the ball in the net from a tough angle, giving the Eagles a 3-1 advantage.

"I was glad that we answered immediately after allowing the first goal," said Dunleavy. "That kept Little Rock from turning the momentum late in the game."

The Trojans did get a second goal in the 79th minute when Mikayla Uyokpeyi scored from close range off assists by Kalie Holloway and Garuba. The visitors would continue to pour numbers forward, but the Eagle defense held tough to get the home win.

Goalkeeper Katie Merson made four saves on the afternoon and dealt with countless crosses as the Trojans out-shot the Eagles 17-14.

Georgia Southern will be idle on Friday evening before traveling to Georgia State for a 2 p.m. game at the Panthersville Complex on the southeast perimeter of Atlanta.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics. To purchase tickets call 1-800-GSU-WINS.