Gold Nuggets win 3-1 road exhibition in varsity debut

EUNICE, La. — Xavier University of Louisiana, in its women’s soccer varsity debut and only exhibition on the 2023 schedule, won 3-1 Wednesday at LSU-Eunice.

All four goals were scored in the second half. Ella-Mae Miller produced the Gold Nuggets’ first two goals, and Faye Butterworth scored the third.

“I’m very pleased with this game,” XULA head coach Ashley Cordeiro said. “There are a lot of positives to build on as we enter the regular season.”

This was the Gold Nuggets’ only exhibition. They’ll kick off the regular season at home — Lafreniere Park in suburban Metairie, La. — at 1 p.m. Aug. 24 against NAIA No. 7 Tennessee Southern. Admission is free to all XULA home soccer games this season.

XULA missed a penalty kick in the 49th minute but finally scored on Miller’s long-range shot nine minutes later. Miller made it 2-0 on a long free kick in the 66th minute.

Butterworth gave the Gold Nuggets a 3-0 lead in the 86th minute on a free kick — a bender into a goal corner.
Olivia Stanford denied XULA a shutout when she scored in the 88th minute.

XULA goalkeeper Theresa Wiesiolek played all of the first half, and Luisa Bella played all of the second half.

NOTES:  The Nuggets’ team tryouts — open to current and future XULA students and 2024 high-school graduates — were pushed back to 3 p.m. Monday at Lafreniere. Mandatory: fill out a participation waiver — visit is.gd/YSlRK5 — and email it no later than Sunday to Cordeiro, acordeir@xula.edu.