(UL ATHLETICS) – Taytum Terrell scored an equalizing goal during a scramble in the 89th minute and Alisa Detlefsen added the game-winner four minutes into overtime to lead Troy to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Women’s Soccer team in the Sun Belt Conference regular-season finale for both teams on Sunday at the Ragin’ Cajuns Soccer/Track Complex.
Haleigh Mercer recorded eight saves for Troy (12-2-4, 7-1-2 Sun Belt), which will enter next month’s Sun Belt Conference Championships as the No. 2 seed. Louisiana, which will be the No. 7 seed and face the Trojans in the first round on Nov. 6, fell to 8-7-3 overall and 4-4-2 in league play.
Louisiana held a 14-13 advantage in shots in the match and broke up a scoreless contest in the 55th minute. Telly Vunipola was fouled inside the 18-yard box by Troy’s Noelle Golden, setting up Gwen Mummert’s fourth goal of the season – and third on a penalty kick.
The Ragin’ Cajuns had a potential insurance goal taken off the board in the 70th minute on an offsides call before Troy would answer late after a mad series of events off a corner kick.
With the Trojans pushing Mercer up into the Louisiana box, Detlefsen sent in a corner kick from the right side, where a shot attempt by Kate Lorenz was blocked. A follow up shot by Maddie Brune on a header was knocked away by Louisiana goalkeeper Mackenzie Lee and the Ragin’ Cajuns attempted to clear the ball out of the box.
Troy’s Karina Valeriano then got possession of the ball and sent the ball back into the box, where her pass was deflected by Katie Eubanks with Terrell tapping in the a follow-up attempt to knot the match at 1-1.
The Trojans iced the match in the 95th minute when Detlefsen collected a shot by Lorenz that was blocked and scored past Lee into the lower, left corner of the goal.
Lee stopped three shots for Louisiana, which earned its first berth to the Sun Belt Conference Championships since 2016. Kobi McNutt had four shots for Louisiana, including a pair on-goal.
Mercer had five of her eight saves in the second half, including a diving stop of an attempt by Karleen Bedre in the 87th minute.