Three first-half goals lift TSU past Alcorn State

HOUSTON – Texas Southern University's Lady Tigers maintained a firm hold of second place on the Southwestern Athletic Conference table with Friday's 3-1 win at home over Alcorn State.
 
Alexia Ladipo's strike from seven yards at a narrow angle after beating Alcorn goalkeeper Kameran Proby in the 19th minute proved to be the match-winning goal after the visiting Lady Braves had leveled the score just two minutes prior.
 
The Lady Tigers (6-5-2) improved to their record in SWAC play to 5-1-1 with the victory; Alcorn State (2-6) fell to 1-4 in conference play with the loss.
 
Ladipo's goal – her first of the season – came after teammate Kayla Smith sent her a brilliant cross-field pass as Ladipo was sprinting along the right touchline. Ladipo then beat a challenging Proby by dribbling to her right side, and then scored from the narrowest of angles.
 
TSU opened the scoring at the quarter-hour when Ladipo sent a high-arcing pass to Kelly Sanders in the goal box, where she was able to complete the strike from short-range after Proby couldn't secure the lob.
 
With her parents in attendance visiting from Australia, senior striker Paige Hayward ended her scoring drought shortly after the half-hour with a seven-yard strike after receiving a pass from Alisa Holloway. Hayward's goal was the fifth of the season and the 21st of her TSU career, which ties her with for the second-most goals in school history with Jessica Smith, who played for the Lady Tigers from 2010 to 2012. Hayward is three goals away from tying the school's all-time record.
 
Rita Okoro leveled the score for Alcorn in the 17th minute for the Lady Braves' lone goal of the match.
 
TSU controlled the pace of the match in the first half, outshooting Alcorn State 8-4 during the first 45 minutes. The Lady Braves worked furiously to try to cut TSU's lead as they outshot the home side 10-5 in the second half, but couldn't put a shot past Lady Tigers goalkeeper Alexis Robles, who made three saves.
 
The Lady Tigers conclude the home portion of their schedule Sunday when they host Mississippi Valley State. Prior to the 1 p.m. kickoff, the TSU coaching staff will honor players Hayward and Maya Turner as part of the Senior Day Festivities.