Match Info

THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's soccer team opens the 2013 regular season on Friday afternoon as they host the Southern University Jaguars at 4 p.m. at the Nicholls Soccer Complex in Thibodaux.
 
The Colonels, looking to improve after a 5-13 season a year ago, will return 10 starters and over 15 letterwinners from last season, including their top two scorers in senior Annie Newell and sophomore Spencer Valdespino.
 
Nicholls will also welcome South Alabama on Sunday with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. in Thibodaux. Tickets can be bought online as well as at the gate for $5 or for the entire season for $30 as students can get in free with their Colonel Card. For fans unable to make the matches, for the first time this season all Colonel home soccer matches will be archived and can be viewed with a subscription to Colonels All-Access.
 
Last Time Out
Nicholls saw its first game action of the year last Friday night, taking on preseason top-25 LSU in Baton Rouge. The Colonels fell to the Tigers 4-1 at the LSU Soccer Stadium after giving up three first half goals and one in the second. Freshman Shelby Smith scored a minute into the second half to make it 3-1, as goalie Amanda Boylson stopped six shots on the night in 80 minutes of action. Smith's goal was the first shot and shot on goal of the night for the team, as LSU outshot Nicholls 21-2 over the course of the match.
 
Scouting Southern
Southern comes into 2013 led by first-year head coach Courtnie Prather who makes her debut on "The Bluff" after spending the last three seasons as an assistant coach. She is the third coach in program history, joining the SU program in 2010 after six years as an assistant at William Carey where they won a conference championship and made three regional appearances and a national tournament appearance. The top returning players this season will be goalie Sarah Forde and leading goal-scorer Fabiola Parra. Last season Nicholls defeated SU 6-0 and has not lost to the Jaguars in team history
 
Scouting South Alabama
Also entering his first season at the helm of a Division I program is Graham Winkworth at South Alabama. Winkworth was the head coach at North Alabama for nine seasons before taking the job in Mobile, leading the Lions to a 111-81-8 overall record during his tenure. A conference championship and more wins than any coach in school history led Winkworth to getting the job a USA, and will inherit a team that returns 21 letterwinners and all 11 starters from a year ago. Top scorer Clarissa Hernandez returns who scored six goals and dished out five assists. Nicholls dropped a heartbreaker to the Jaguars last year 2-1, as has yet to beat South Alabama in team history
 
Up Next
Nicholls will hit the road to take on the ULM Warhawks and Prairie View A&M Panthers next weekend before returning home for four consecutive home matches in Thibodaux.