LORMAN, Miss. – After falling 4-1 to East Texas Baptist Thursday afternoon, the Alcorn State University women's soccer team rebounded Friday as the Lady Braves earned their first win of the season 1-0 over Nicholls State at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.

The victory marks the first for head coach Junior Noel, who is in his first year leading the program, as well as the first in the all-time series. NSU (2-3) had taken all six of the previous meetings.

"There was a big change today in our attitude and we're starting to trust the system," said Noel. "Yesterday we were reckless and the girls looked in themselves and understood that we can do better and we want to do better."

East Texas Baptist

ETBU (2-2) took the first meeting between the two programs, netting a pair of goals in each half. Ashleigh Rondon led the Tigers with two scores on seven shots, placing five on goal. Heather Brady and Hannah Murin also got into the scorer's column for the visitors.

Redshirt-sophomore Rita Okoro put Alcorn on the board with two seconds remaining in the game as she converted her penalty kick. Okoro put three of her four shots on target to lead the Lady Braves and is now two goals away from sharing the number two spot on the program's all-time scoring list. Freshman Mireya Gonzalez followed with three shots. Freshman keeper Kameran Proby faced 10 shots, recording six saves in 90-minutes of work.

Nicholls State

NSU (2-3) and Alcorn were scoreless late in the second half when redshirt-senior Viktoriya Mihaylova was fouled just outside the 18-yard box. The Sofia, Bulgaria native put a hard shot on target that Colonels keeper Roosa Hurerinta was able to save, but senior Alexandra Salvador was there to clean up the rebound as Alcorn took the lead in the 78th minute.

Okoro put three of five shots on goal to lead the team, followed by redshirt-freshman Nahvia Rodriguez with two shots and Jaydah Myers with one. In goal, Proby earned a clean sheet with four saves in a full-match effort. The McDonough, Ga. native is now tied for third in program shutouts with Tatum Irving (2003), Browyn Leeming (2009), and Ashley Murray (2010).

Also playing 90 minutes were senior Priscilla Guardado, junior Yaira Guardado, Okoro, sophomore Maya McInnis, and freshmen Chantelle Arambulo, Gonzalez and Myers.

"Today we had a willingness to want to make a difference on every play," added Noel. "I told the girls that every team that comes here needs to know that they're in for a battle from the start. It was a collective effort today and several freshmen stepped up for us. Myers and Gonzalez, those two took the bull by the horns. Our seniors were a wall in the middle of the field. We have building blocks and now we have to build on that."

Mie Elvestad placed two of her three shots on goal to pace the Colonels' offense, and Emily Werenskiold followed with a pair of shots on target. Hurmerinta played the full 90 minutes, allowing the lone goal and finishing with five saves.

Alcorn held the advantage in shots (11-6), corner kicks (5-0), and fouls (11-16).

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