Following USC soccer’s first win of the season against New Mexico State University on Thursday, the Trojans looked to continue that momentum against their next opponent: Saint Mary’s College. The Gaels came into Sunday afternoon’s match undefeated, having not allowed a goal through their first four games this season.

Initially, USC’s (1-3-1) defense seemed to be paving the way to another Trojan victory, or even a shutout, holding Saint Mary’s (3-0-2) scoreless heading into halftime. The second half told another story, though: The Trojans had several opportunities to score but couldn’t break through. Saint Mary’s took advantage of their mistakes, with its late goal sealing another 1-0 loss for USC.

With seemingly all the momentum on the Trojans’ side, this loss is likely the most painful of the three this season for Head Coach Jane Alukonis and company. Despite the loss, though, the squad has shown improvement on both sides of the pitch the last two games, something they will look to build upon as the season progresses.

Offense unable to score despite constant pressure

Sunday’s battle is one example of the final score not telling the whole story: USC commanded the game in terms of offensive chances. The Trojans outshot the Gaels 19-5 in the match, including 14 shots to Saint Mary’s two in the second half. USC also had more shots on goal, seven to two, and generated more corner kicks, seven to five. 

A primary reason for the abundance of scoring opportunities was sophomore midfielder Jaiden Rodriguez, who led the game with seven shots — three on goal — in a season-high 61 minutes played. 

Rodriguez continues to be the Trojans’ highest-volume shooter, leading the team with 19 shots and nine shots on goal. However, the sophomore has yet to net a goal in 2026 and has notched only one assist, which came in the first game of the season. 

Another efficient Trojan was freshman forward Alyssa Parsons, who did not start for the first time this season. Although Parsons came in as a substitute, she had the most impactful game of her young career, with two of her three shots being on target. Parsons’ step-up makes a strong case for her to return to the starting lineup, as she is still chasing her elusive first collegiate career goal. 

The duo of Rodriguez and Parsons showed their effort to the end, with both recording a shot within the final three minutes of regulation, but to no avail. 

Depth of Saint Mary’s goalkeepers comes up clutch

The defensive showcase from the Gaels was all the more impressive considering that their backup goalkeeper was forced to play most of the game. 

Saint Mary’s starting goalkeeper — redshirt freshman Soraya Souvanaphong — went out with a lower-leg injury in the 17th minute after making two saves to start the match. This seemed to be a golden opportunity for the Trojans, as Souvanaphong had not allowed a goal this season despite playing the entirety of each of the Gaels’ four games. 

Unfortunately for USC, though, Saint Mary’s backup goalkeeper is none other than the 2025 West Coast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year: redshirt junior Kate Plachy. Plachy would come in to save five shots, securing the Gaels’ victory and preserving their shutout streak. 

Gaels manage to break through 

The Trojans’ defensive performance seemed to carry over from their previous shutout victory, as they had only allowed one shot on target through 75 minutes. That was, until Gaels sophomore forward Ashlyn Vaughn made her mark, scoring the game-winning goal past USC freshman goalkeeper Josie Biehl.

It was only a matter of time before Vaughn put her stamp on the match, as she is Saint Mary’s leading scorer this season, having found the net in all three of the Gaels’ victories. Her three goals in 2026 already match her 2025 total, significantly improving early in the year and proving to be a threat. 

Biehl was not entirely to blame for the goal, as the chance came from a faulty USC defense. Saint Mary’s scoring despite having only two legitimate chances will likely not be forgotten by the Trojans easily. 

On top of the dejecting result of Sunday’s affair, USC will now travel to face No. 1 Stanford (5-0), and the Trojans’ schedule does not get any easier from there. After entering Big Ten play with likely only one win, the Trojans will have a three-game homestand facing No. 3 Michigan State (4-0-1), an undefeated Purdue (5-0-1) and Oregon (4-0-1). 

While the upcoming schedule is brutal, if USC can maintain the offensive and defensive pressure that has been present the last two games, it may be able to pull off an upset or two. 

The Trojans will travel to play the Cardinal on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Cagan Stadium.