Soccer Preview | Braves Travel to Centenary

LORMAN, Miss. – Alcorn Soccer gets back to the pitch this week as the Braves travel to nonconference opponent Centenary for a midweek game in Shreveport, Louisiana on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. For the Braves, this will be their first trip to Centenary since the program debut season in 2003.
 
THE GAME: Alcorn Braves (1-4-1) vs. Centenary (0-6-1)
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. CT
WHERE: Mayo Field (Shreveport, La.)
 
IN THE RANKINGS
Alcorn is not ranked in this week's United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll. Centenary is not ranked in this week's United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Alcorn Soccer this year by following the Braves on all of their social media platforms. You can follow @AlcornWomensSoccer on Instagram and @AlcornSoccer on Twitter.
 
SERIES VS. CENTENARY
Centenary leads the all-time series against Alcorn by a count of 2-0. The two teams first met in 2003 under former head coach Peter Rinaldi. Centenary took that game by a score of 14-0 in Shreveport. The schools got back together in 2021, with The Ladies escaping Jack Spinks – Marino Casem Stadium with a 2-1 win on September 8.
 
ABOUT MAYO FIELD
Originally referred to as the Centenary Soccer Complex, the field was renamed in 2001 in honor of Lewis Mayo. Mayo, the father of former Gents player and coach Eric Mayo, lost his life heroically fighting a fire while serving the Houston, Texas, area as a member of the fire department. His family graciously donated the funds that allowed Centenary to erect a quality lighting system. Various other upgrades and additions have been made to Mayo Field over the past several years. New stands for seating were installed in 2000 that now allows for a crowd of 500. A physical plant building was transformed in 2000 to house a new locker room and three offices for the soccer coaches and staff.
 
2002 brought on several upgrades to the field itself. The chain link fencing that surrounded the field was torn down and new black iron fencing was installed to enhance the overall look. The playing surface was improved with the addition of an underground drainage system that will allow the field to remain playable in adverse weather conditions. Most recently, netting was hung behind both goals to limit the amount of balls that leave the playing area.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE BRAVES
Audrey Williams and Samara Nunn each registered first half goals on Tuesday evening, as the Braves of Alcorn State suffered a late defeat away to Nicholls State in nonconference midweek women's soccer action at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex. Nicholls (2-5-1) scored the game's opening early-on when Rami Mitchell found Kaitlyn Poirrier in the opening minute to see the forward blast a shot past a diving attempt from Alcorn State goalkeeper Paula Argelaguet. The Colonels waited just 13 minutes to score their second of the game, that being a brace from Poirrier as she bagged her second in the 14th minute. The goal was setup from teammates Shelby Nickal and Mitchell (collecting her second assist of the opening half) on the run through. However, the Braves would get back into the game with a pair of goals coming in quick succession. Alcorn (1-4-1) sophomore defender Audrey Williams scored her first goal of the 2022 season when she broke away to place a shot into the bottom-left corner past Nicholls keeper Megan Cook. That cut the deficit at 2-1, with the Williams goal coming in the 27th minute. It would take just three minutes for the Purple and Gold to find the equalizer as freshman forward Samara Nunn picked up her second goal of the campaign, placing a low trajectory shot into the bottom-left corner. For Alcorn, both goals came from outside the box – the first time that's occurred for the Braves in the Kevin Larry era in Lorman.
 
LAST TIME VS. CENTENARY
Two second half goals for Centenary allowed The Ladies to collect a 2-1 win over Alcorn at Jack Spinks – Marino Casem Stadium on Sept. 8, 2021, in Lorman, Mississippi. The teams played a scoreless first half until Centenary's Daisy Acosta scored in the 59th minute to give the Ladies a 1-0 lead. Following an offside call on Alcorn, Yosi Bouslog played a perfect ball inbounds into the middle of the field among a group of sprinting teammates, and after a deflected shot attempt by Sydney Bascomb ricocheted off of Alcorn goalkeeper Vivian Lugo, Acosta was there waiting to tap it in for the score. Alexa Hinojosa scored roughly 10 minutes later to make it 2-0 off an assist from Avery Gilbert. Alcorn freshman Charlie Bal scored for the Braves in the 88th minute to cut the Ladies' lead to 2-1 with the assist credited to Rosalina Santoro.
 
AND THEY'RE FRESHMEN?
Currently, it happens to be a pair of freshmen leading the scoring for Alcorn this season, as Samara Nunn and Zea Anderson each have tallied two goals apiece. Nunn owns a 90 percent shots on goal average, while Anderson has an 87.5 percent shots on goal mark for the season. Nunn has also provided three assists for the Braves, leading the team in that category as well.
 
UP NEXT
After being on the road for four consecutive games, the Braves return home to Jack Spinks – Marino Casem Stadium to take on the Chicago State Cougars on Friday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m.
 
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