LAKE CHARLES – After opening the season 2-0 for the first time in a decade, the McNeese Cowgirls (2-0-0) return to Cowgirl Field Thursday night looking to keep their perfect start rolling as they host the Jackson State Tigers (0-2-0). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., with the match streaming live on ESPN+.
Thursday's matchup will mark the 10th all-time meeting between the two programs, with McNeese holding an 8-1 advantage in the series. The Cowgirls are a perfect 4-0 against the Tigers when playing in Lake Charles and enter Thursday riding a five-match winning streak against Jackson State dating back to 2018.
McNeese opened its home slate with a strong showing against Southern Miss, utilizing its depth as 22 different players saw action. Three Cowgirls also made their first career Division I starts as McNeese continued to build momentum early in the season.
Sophomore
Sumayah Brown provided the decisive moment in the 35th minute, scoring her first collegiate goal to give the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead over the Golden Eagles. The goal proved to be the game-winner, securing McNeese's first victory over Southern Miss in program history and giving the Cowgirls their second consecutive win to begin the season.
While McNeese enters Thursday unbeaten, Jackson State will be looking to turn things around after opening the season 0-2-0. The Tigers, who were picked to finish first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference preseason poll, dropped their opening two matches to Mercer and Abilene Christian.
Jackson State enters the season with plenty of preseason recognition, led by goalkeeper Taylor Osborn, who was selected as the SWAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year and named to the Preseason All-SWAC First Team. Osborn has yet to see action in goal this season.
Defender Kianah Farmer and midfielder Malayah Nuestro also earned preseason honors, with both selected to the Preseason All-SWAC Second Team.
vs. Jackson State
Date: Thursday, Aug. 20
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Lake Charles, La.
Venue: Cowgirl Field
Live Stats
Watch Live
Match Notes:
- With a win on Thursday against Jackson State, the Cowgirls would move to 3-0 for the first time since the 2016 season, also tying the best start by a first year head coach for the program
- Alex Arvanitis was named Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week
- First meeting between the programs since the 2024 season
- Jackson State was chosen to finish #1 in the SWAC receiving six first place votes
- McNeese is coming 1-0 victory over Southern Miss. marking the programs first victory over the Golden Eagles
- Cowgirls are off to their first 2-0 start in over a decade
- 22 Cowgirls saw action on the pitch against Southern Miss.
- 3 players made their first Division I start of their career Sunday (Ryleigh Tomlinson, Isabella Baltov, and Emma Korhonen)
- Kayla Pelter made her Cowgirl debut against the Golden Eagles seeing 36 minutes on the pitch
- Sumayah Brown netted the only goal in the 35th minute for her first collegiate goal
- Shannon Dempsey and Celeste Marijnissen combined for the shutout tallying four saves against Southern Miss.
- Second consecutive match that Alex Arvanitis saw all 90 minutes on the pitch
- Rebecca Romero also saw all 90 minutes on the pitch against the Golden Eagles
- Freshman, Isabella Baltov was named the 2025-2026 Gatorade Louisiana Girls' Soccer Player of the Year back in June after setting the Caddo Parish record for most goals in a high school career with 176.
- Rhiannon Maynes-Tourond returns to the Cowgirls after leading the team in goals last season with six.
- McNeese returns two goalies from last season in #0 Shannon Dempsey and #99 Celeste Marijnissen
- Marijnissen returns with the most experience in the net for the Cowgirls after starting/appearing in 17 matches last season while seeing 1,449:18 minutes in the net.
- Coach Alexsis Cable is in her first season at the helm of the Cowgirls after serving as an Assistant Coach at North Texas the last five season.
- Cowgirls return 13 players, and welcome 16 newcomers consisting of 12 freshmen and four transfers.
- 12 of the 13 returners appeared in at least 10 matches last season
- Cowgirl soccer is composed of 5 international players from 4 different countries (Canada, Panama, Sweden, and Netherlands)
- Only two Cowgirls are from the state of Louisiana
