ULM fell to Georgia Southern on Friday’s Sun Belt Conference opener at the ULM Soccer Complex.

This loss was a bit more personal due to the fact that it was also family weekend.

Relatives who traveled from all over the country along with Warhawk students and supporters were a part of the crowd of at least 290 who attended the skirmish and cheered loudly as the players outshot the Eagles 12-10 and had a large 9-2 lead in corner kicks.

Georgia Southern’s (6-2-1, 1-0 SBC) Jennifer Wittick first scored in the game around the 20th minute. 

The Warhawk’s (6-4-1, 0-1 SBC) redshirt sophomore Antonia Land answered back with a penalty kick during the 34th minute. This is the captain’s third goal of the season.

“I was lucky enough that Pillon got the handball inside the box. It’s a pressure shot but just got to place it right in,” Land said.

Land, senior Cerene Arsenault and sophomores Katherine Werther, Whitney Tuckfield and Mary Ashton Lembo played every minute of the game.

Werther made four saves during the 90 minutes but dropped her first decision putting her at 5-1 this year.

The Eagles, making their SBC debut, had to work hard around the Warkhawks to get the goals scored by Melinda Lukas and Stephanie Gratto in the second half that won the game 3-1. 

Georgia Southern goalie Katie Merson (6-2-1) picked up the win and made four saves as well. 

 This was the first time the two soccer programs had ever played one another. 

Despite the outcome, Coach Roberto Mazza was pleased with the team’s performance. 

“I thought we played good enough to win to be honest. I’m very proud of our girls, how we came out, how we started, how we ended and it just unfortunate that we didn’t get the results in today’s game,” Mazza said.

The team played Georgia State on Sunday. ULM’s soccer team will enter the bulk of its Sun Belt schedule, travelling to South Alabama and Troy this week.

The Warhawks will return home to face Arkansas State and the University of Arkansas-Little Rock the following week.