HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Senior Simone Timm scored the game-winning goal in the 86th minute to give Georgia Southern women's soccer its fourth straight win, a 2-1 victory over host Southern Miss on Sunday afternoon in Hattiesburg, Miss.
The Eagles (9-5, 4-3 SBC) notched the win in their first trip in program history to Hattiesburg, while Southern Miss falls to 6-7-1 overall and 3-3-1 in the league with the loss. Georgia Southern returns to action on Thursday, hosting Marshall in a 6 p.m. Sun Belt contest at Eagle Field.
Junior Smith Cathey would put the Eagles in front early, settling a service into the box from the right side by sophomore Erin Wilkins, then finishing in the 10th minute for her sixth goal of the season. Georgia Southern outshot the Golden Eagles 14-3 in the first half, but went into halftime leading by just one goal.
That would be key as Southern Miss would be able to tie things up less than two minutes into the second half. Adaira Nakano's long pass found Abby Badurak on the left side of the box, and Badurak's shot grazed the far post and in to equalize the contest.
Southern Miss held the Eagles without a shot for a key 15-minute stretch, but in the 80th minute, two things turned the match in favor of Georgia Southern. First, Southern Miss starting goalkeeper Alex Helbling was shaken up deflecting a corner kick away from goal, then Chloe Taylor was issued a second yellow card for a hard challenge, earning a red and putting Georgia Southern at a man advantage for the rest of the match.
With the Golden Eagles pressuring for a goal despite being a player down, the Eagles struck on a counter to break the deadlock. Senior Sade Heinrichs started with the ball shy of midfield and dribbled into the Southern Miss half. Her pass to sophomore Bri Conley in the right side of the box drew substitute goalkeeper Maddie Ellis towards her, and Conley was able to slot a ball across the box to Timm for the wide-open finish in the 86th minute. It was also the first second-half goal that Southern Miss has given up at home this season.
The Eagles finished the day with a 20-10 edge in shots. Quinn Wilson made five saves in net for Georgia Southern, earning the win, while Helbling made four saves in net before exiting. The Eagles enjoyed a 7-4 edge in corner kicks and each team was whistled for 10 fouls. Georgia Southern was offsides three times in the game and Southern Miss was offsides once.
"I'm proud of us finding a way to get a result today in a hostile environment," Georgia Southern head women's soccer coach Chris Adams said. "We needed those three points on the road to keep climbing the table and get a favorable draw in the Sun Belt Conference tournament at the end of the month. Incredible composure from Sade Heinrichs to orchestrate that final attack and credit to both Bri Conley and Simone Timm for making the chance count. Hail Southern!"
