Women of Troy find their footing following first loss


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soccerbrUSC women’s soccer played two games over the weekend, traveling to Northern California for their season’s first competitive match and then returning to McAlister Field on Sunday for their second exhibition of the early fall.

The Women of Troy were ranked No. 11 in the nation in the preseason NSCAA Coaches poll; the team fell at Santa Clara before defeating Beijing Normal University in a friendly.

USC got off to a fast start against the Broncos on Friday thanks to redshirt junior Alex Anthony, who was making her first appearance for the Women of Troy after transferring from the University of Maryland this fall. Anthony set the single-season scoring record for the Terrapins last year, bagging ten goals, and she continued her lethal form in Cardinal and Gold, pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty box to give USC a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute.

But sophomore Janae Gonzalez equalized for Santa Clara in the 37th minute, as the forward got on the end of a cross and fired past redshirt senior Sammy Jo Prudhomme in the Trojan net. USC would not respond until midway through the second half, when Anthony secured a brace in an impressive debut. The striker shed her defender and slotted home in the 62nd minute to push the Women of Troy back in front. She nearly completed a hat trick late in the game but was denied by the crossbar.

The miss would prove costly, as the Broncos tied things up again in the dying minutes. Senior Jordan Jesolva smashed in the equalizer just minutes before the end of regulation. A Kelly Peay golden goal seven minutes into overtime completed the Santa Clara comeback, as Anthony defender turned a cross past Prudhomme to send the Women of Troy home with an 0-1 record to start the season.

USC rebounded strongly two days later, however, running up the score in a friendly against Beijing Normal. The Women of Troy returned to their home field and redshirt senior Katie Johnson opened the scoring in the 16th minute with her second goal in two exhibition matches. Johnson missed the entire 2015 season rehabbing an injury, but she has reestablished herself as a mainstay in the Trojan frontline after starting throughout her first three college seasons.

Junior Sydney Johnson doubled USC’s advantage less than three minutes later (and two minutes after entering the game as a substitute). A 44th-minute goal from freshman Taylor McMorrow all but buried Beijing Normal by halftime. But the Women of Troy weren’t done: Redshirt freshman Olga Langenskiöld scored for the first time in a USC jersey to make it 4-0 minutes after the second-half restart. Langenskiöld then netted her second near the hour mark to round out the Trojan scoring. Beijing Normal grabbed a late consolation goal to deny Prudhomme the clean sheet, but USC saw out a comfortable 5-1 victory.

“It was good to get back on the field after Friday’s loss to get back in rhythm and sync,” head coach Keidane McAlpine said. “Once we settled into the game, I thought we had a great performance. I am extremely happy with the group that came in the second half and continued to play. Olga was on fire today, and I am really happy for her. Hopefully we can build on this moving into next week’s games.”

The Women of Troy hope the exhibition win generates some momentum after the disappointment against Santa Clara. The team has no more warm-up fixtures left on its schedule and now begins the regular season with trips to Long Beach and Malibu over the weekend. USC will look for the first win of the season against Long Beach State and Pepperdine, and the Women of Troy’s first match of the week kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday night at Long Beach.