THE RUNDOWN
The No. 6 nationally ranked DBU Women's Soccer team went on the road to face LSU in Baton Rouge on Friday afternoon at LSU Soccer Stadium in a game that saw the Patriots defeat the SEC side by a score of 2-1.

The Patriots (6-0-0) were right where they belonged throughout the entirety of the game. DBU and LSU would go back and forth in the first half with both sides seeing solid looks on frame. Patriots goalkeeper Adrianna Schroeder set the tone for her time in the net early on as she would make a tough save to keep the score even at 0-0. In the 25th minute of the game, LSU found the back of the net off of a good strike from Tinaya Alexander. The Tigers would go into the break with the lead.

As the second half began, the Patriots came out with an unrelenting tenacity. Ashley Merrill would continue her goal scoring streak as she equalized for DBU in the 60th minute of the match. The Patriots showed no sign of stopping there or even going for the tie. DBU continued to bombard LSU with relentless pressure which would pay off in the 83rd minute when Delaney Schmidt was brought down in the Tigers' box to give the Patriots a penalty kick. Freshman Marit Auee took on the pressure and stepped up for DBU, calmly beating the keeper to the right post and putting the Patriots into the lead. DBU would see out the remainder of the game and leave Baton Rouge with the win.

In a game that was tightly contested, every single player that stepped on the field for the Patriots was outstanding. The backline went stride for stride with the LSU front runners for the entire game. Summerlyn Heller, Marit Auee, Blythe Obar, Gabrielle Heller, Ella McQuaid, and Morgan Black all played a part in the defensive unit for the Patriots today and each one put in a magnificent shift. The outside backs for Michelle Lenard's side were put to the test in their matchups with the speedy wingers for LSU, a test which they more than met. The centerbacks for DBU stayed right on the LSU forwards and gave them no room to create. Adrianna Schroeder played an exceptional game in net, making multiple big saves for the Patriots. None bigger than her one-on-one stop in the dying minutes of the game to keep DBU in the lead.

The midfield for the Patriots went toe to toe with the midfield for the Tigers all afternoon. Melissa Jones, Brittany Eccles, Marit Auee, and Morgan Black all saw time in the heart of the field, each being strong in their challenges and composed on the ball. DBU was committed to enter Baton Rouge and keep their identity in their style of play throughout the whole match and the midfield was a key piece of that. The Patriots were able to move the ball around the LSU midfield and create space for runs into the final third that would help keep the pressure on the Tigers in the second half.
 
The attack for DBU stepped up big today and showcased why they are one of the best offenses in the entire country. Delaney Schmidt and Jenna Patterson were continuously running at their defenders and opening space up for each other. Kaci Parks was solid on the ball once again for DBU and connected the midfield and the wingers throughout the whole game. Ashley Merrill continued her historic start to her career as she proved to be a massive challenge for the LSU defense both on and off of the ball.
 
All around, the Patriots put in a complete shift today, executing their game plan and style of play to perfection. DBU showcased the type of team they are and the fact that they can go into any stadium in the country and cause problems.

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
  - Freshman Blythe Obar was named Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of The Week shortly before kickoff. This afternoon, Obar demonstrated exactly why she earned that recognition. All day, Obar was terrific in the heart of the defense for the Patriots, knocking players off of the ball, putting in strong tackles, and intercepting multiple threatening chances.
 
 - Junior Adrianna Schroeder stood on her head today. She made multiple saves throughout the game that were absolutely critical to the DBU win. Not only did she make multiple big time stops, Schroeder did an excellent job facilitating the ball out of the back and was a strong communicator for her team.
 
 - This team can compete and they demonstrated that to perfection today. The Patriots displayed mental toughness, determination, and relentlessness all afternoon. In a game, and season, that has presented many challenges, changes in momentum, and multiple ups and downs, Michelle Lenard's side continues to rise up and showcase what they are made of.
 
COACH MICHELLE LENARD ON THE PATRIOTS WIN
"Today was a great day for our program. LSU is a very strong, well-coached and dangerous team. We knew we were going to have to ride out some tough moments. It took us a while to settle the nerves, but I am very proud of how well the girls stayed in it mentally. We knew we would have to take advantage of any opportunities we created and we did that very well. It was a great learning opportunity on so many levels and I am very proud of the team."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
9 – Ashley Merrill scored her 9th goal of the year for the Patriots today and continues her streak of scoring in consecutive games which is now up to six.

33, 4, 25, 10, 5, 2, 12 – Every girl who has played any minutes along the backline for DBU this season deserves all of the recognition that they can get. The organization, aggression, and commitment to their team and to each other that these players exemplify is incredible.

6 – The Patriots are now 6-0. But what's the best thing about being 6-0? The chance to go 7-0.

UP NEXT
DBU comes back home to University Hill and hosts UT-Tyler to continue LSC play on Wednesday, March 17th at Patriot Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.