ATHENS, Ga. – With the 15th-ranked LSU soccer team looking to snap a two-game losing streak in SEC play, it was only fitting for a trio of Georgia natives to lead the Tigers to a 2-1 win over the Georgia Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon at the Turner Soccer Complex.

 

Junior Melissa Clarke of Norcross and junior Malorie Rutledge of Sharpsburg each scored a goal on the afternoon, while freshman Mo Isom of Marietta was steady in goal once again to lead LSU (8-2-0, 2-2-0 SEC) to its second win in the Southeastern Conference.

 

LSU is now 2-1-1 against Georgia (3-8-1, 1-2-1 SEC) in four games under head coach Brian Lee, while they improve to 3-6-1 in the all-time series between the two programs.

 

"This was a good, quality win for our team on the road in a tough environment," Lee said. "We're certainly excited because Georgia is one of the top teams in the SEC this year. A win like this will give us a great chance to move forward and have a great SEC season. This was as even a game as we've played all season, and our kids showed tremendous effort for 90 minutes to get a result.

 

"It was also great to see that both goals were composed finishes by two truly class players. We feel pretty good about how we've played in four SEC games, but our finishing hasn't been what it needs to be in order to come away with good results. We were able to do that today."

 

Clarke put the Tigers on top just over 11 minutes into the match with her fourth goal of the year, controlling a loose ball in the penalty area and firing a shot inside the near post from 10 yards out in the right side of the box. For Clarke, it was her team-leading second goal in conference play.

 

Clarke and senior captain Roslyn Jones battled three Georgia defenders for possession of the ball with Clarke coming away with the possession near the top of the area. She fought off one Georgia defender and snuck a right-footed strike just inside the near post and into the back of the net.

 

But the Tigers were not satisfied with a one-goal lead as they struck again in the 29th minute on a brilliant goal by Rutledge at the end of a 40-yard run worthy of an All-American.

 

Rutledge gained possession of the ball near the midfield stripe and proceeded to carve through the Georgia defense. She took on a pair of defenders near the top of the penalty area and rifled a shot inside the far post from nearly the exact spot from which Clarke opened the Tigers' account in the right side of the box. It was Rutledge's third goal of the season and second in SEC play.

 

LSU took its 2-0 advantage into the halftime break with Georgia holding a slim 3-2 edge in shots on goal and a 2-1 lead in corner kicks.

 

"We lost a tough game against Tennessee the other night, and we came together as a team after it was over and talked about what it would take to get a win today," Rutledge said. "Georgia is a great team, and they played a great game today. We're glad to come here and get a win. We really needed this to get back on track, and I'm proud of my teammates for they way they competed."

 

Clarke echoed Rutledge following the match, saying that the Tigers knew they had to compete for the full 90 minutes if they hoped to leave Athens with a win.

 

"It meant a lot for us to come out here and get a big win on the road," Clarke said. "Georgia is a really good team that we have a lot of respect for, and for us to step up and play well against that kind of team will go a long way toward us having a good season. It was also big for those of us from Georgia to come back and play well in front of our family and friends. We had a lot of fun."

 

Georgia pulled one back 13 minutes from time when junior All-American Carrie Patterson scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season off a rebound from an initial shot by Megan Tomlinson that was saved by a diving Isom inside the six-yard box.

 

While facing a one-goal deficit in the final minutes, the Bulldogs kept pressure on LSU's defense with perhaps their best opportunity to equalize coming on a corner kick in the final minute.

 

Sophomore defender Kelli Corless lined up to take the kick and found freshman defender Bailey Powell standing alone 14 yards in front of the net. Isom, who allowed just one goal while making seven saves on the afternoon, leaped high into the air and punched Powell's header out of play for another Georgia corner kick.

 

"I thought this was Mo's best game in an LSU uniform," Lee said. "She was confident throughout the game and communicated very well with our back four all game. She was outstanding. There is no other way to say it. She was the difference for us today, especially late in the game."

 

It proved to be an even game until the final whistle with both teams attempting a total of 16 shots and six corner kicks on the afternoon. Georgia held a slight advantage in shots on goal with eight in the match to six shots on goal for LSU.

 

For the first time in nearly one month, the Tigers will return to the friendly confines of the LSU Soccer Complex next weekend as they play host to the Auburn Tigers on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Alabama Crimson Tide on Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. In fact, LSU will play six of their last seven matches of the regular season in Baton Rouge, where they boast a 14-game home unbeaten streak.