BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Jackson State Lady Tigers soccer team suffered a conference opening loss to Howard University on Friday night in Birmingham, Ala. on neutral turf.

The Bison entered the contest at 3-2 overall on the season after finishing last year's season 13-7-1 (8-1-1 SWAC) and taking home the SWAC Championship.

HU gave the Tigers a 4-0 loss as JSU fell to 0-8 on the season and 0-1 to begin conference play. Howard improved to 4-2 and 1-0 in SWAC play.

The Blue and White played an outstanding game in the first half, holding last years SWAC champions to knotted up score of 0-0 until 5:48 remaining before the break.

In the 40th minute of play, Howard's Madison Myles was able to squeeze one past JSU's SWAC Goalie of the Week, Thea Ebbe Brich to get on the board first, 1-0. 

The Tigers took a 1-0 deficit into halftime after a near perfect first half on the board. 

At the break the Bison outshot JSU 10-1 with as Brich collected three saves on the ten shots. 

It did not take long for the Bison to add to their lead after returning to the field for the second half as HU found the back of the net for a second time in the 50th minute of the match.

With fourteen minutes remaining in the contest, Howard began to gain separation and take control of the match, getting the third goal of the game to fall in and give them a 3-0 advantage.

The final goal of the night came with 5:44 left in regulation as HU pushed one in the net to ultimately close out the contest at 4-0 and handing the Tigers an opening day conference loss.

The Tigers finished the contest with a total of five shots with three shots on goal. Five Tigers each had one shot in the matchup-Carlee Griffiths (1), Sydni Wilson (1), Alexis Henriquez (1), Alessia Skinner (1), and Rayvn Basinger (1). Basinger, Skinner, and Henriquez provided the only shots on goal for the Tigers as they were outshot 20-5 in the contest to the defending SWAC champs.  

Thea Ebbe Brich ended the game with a total of seven saves on twenty shots taken. 

The Tigers look to rebound next Friday (Oct. 4) with an away game at Alabama State in Montgomery, Ala. beginning at 6 p.m.

QUOTABLE 

Head Coach Dr. Ted Flogaites

"The match was heartbreaking on a lot of levels, none of it I will go into. We got out-desired on two set pieces and getting out-desired is inexcusable. Howard was the hungrier side, they were willing to work at a higher level than we were, and that's that. All talk is cheap when it comes to matches. You produce or you don't produce. We have a lot of work to do."

SOCIAL MEDIA

For more soccer information and updates please follow the Tigers on Twitter at @GoJSUTigersSOC, Facebook at Jackson State Soccer, @gojsutigerssoc on Instagram. You can also follow head coach Ted Flogaites on Twitter @flogaites