HENDERSON, TN – The Louisiana State University of Alexandria women's soccer team opened the 2026 season with a dominant win over Freed-Hardeman University, 3-0.
It is the first clean sheet season opening win for LSUA since 2021, when they handed Central Baptist University an 8-0 defeat.
"I'm very happy with tonight's performance and result," LSUA Head Coach
Mark Hammond said. "Opening up with a clean sheet and scoring three goals away from home is always something to celebrate. We will feel disappointed as we left a lof of chances out there, specifically in the first half, but the girls kept knocking on the dor. We scored three different types of goals, which showed an identity of how we want to play. I was really impressed with how the squad have adapted and settled into the system. We had a lot of really strong performances as well as players getting good minutes in their legs on their return from injuries. We'll enjoy this win but all eyes will be on a big challenge on Sunday against Tennessee Southern."
The Generals (1-0-0) besieged the Lions (0-1-0) in the first half, sending 17 shots in the direction of Freed-Hardeman's goal. Meanwhile defensively, LSUA allowed just one shot in the first 45 minutes of play.
Sacha Backus took LSUA's first shot of the season in just the second minute but it was blocked by a Lions' defender.
Ariana Lowenstein was the first to force FHU goalkeeper Layla Olson into action, putting a shot on goal in the ninth minute.
LSUA's offensive barrage held the Lions inside their own half of the pitch for the majority of the opening stanza. The Generals generated eight corners in the first and forced Olson to make seven saves.
Freed-Hardeman's lone first half shot came off the boot of Addison Bolema in the 26
th minute and was turned aside by
Meike van Straten.
Nelly Dallmann finally broke through for the Generals in the 53
rd minute. She took advantage of chaos inside the box and slipped a chance into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Linnea Lundstroem added an insurance maker 20 minutes later. She buried a chance off a pass from
Paula Suarez to make it 2-0 LSUA.
Abril Cobos added the Generals' third goal in the 84
th minute. Cobos collected a pass from
Sacha Backus and lifted her shot over the keeper to put the game out of reach.
The Generals converted one-third of the their shots in the second half and allowed just two from the Lions. A shot from FHU's Marta Martin in the 85
th minute called van Straten back into action. The Generals' keeper came up with her second save of the contest to preserve the clean sheet.
LSUA travels to Pulaski, Tennessee for a Sunday matinee with (RV) Tennessee Southern at 11:00 on August 23.
