Box Score Colorado College used its home-field advantage to get into the thick of the race for the Conference USA regular-season championship. In order to claim their first-ever crown, the Tigers will need to keep the momentum going on the road.

Sophomore forward Jessie Ayers scored her team-leading seventh goal just 8:05 into the contest and the defense did the rest in a 1-0 victory over Southern Miss in the final home game of the season on Sunday afternoon at Stewart Field.

Ayers collected a long pass from senior forward Brittney Lyman in the center of the field, dribbled around junior goalkeeper Lindsey Schwaner on the right side, and scored on a low crossing shot toward the far post.

“I knew their goalie had been high off her line in the past,” Ayers said, “So I was going to have to beat her 1v1 because I wouldn't have the angle for a first-time shot. That factored into my decision to dribble around her and it worked out for the best.

“It was a complete team effort and it was great on Senior Day. This one's for them.”

The senior class completed their four seasons with a 29-6-7 record at home, including a 17-3-2 mark in conference play.

“It's always important to get a win, but there's nothing more important than getting a victory in our last game at Stewart Field,” senior midfielder/co-captain Hannah Peterson said. “I thought about it on the walk down the Tiger Trail. You have to take advantage of the last opportunity you have and we did that today.”

The Tigers launched 21 shots, including two by Lyman that clanked off the crossbar during the second half.  

With her career-high seventh assist of the season, Lyman climbed into a tie for 18th place on the program's all-time list, joining Tara Nott (1990-93), Amara Wilson (2004-07) and Alexa Bannerman (2005-08) with 12.

Three other seniors made sure the Golden Eagles didn't get on the scoreboard. Peterson and defender Kelly Browne helped limit the Golden Eagles to just seven shots, only four of which made it through to goalkeeper Hanna Berglund.

Considering it was Berglund in net, it was no surprise the final score was 1-0. Eight of her 16 career victories ended with the same score. Berglund made four saves en route to her third shutout of the season and the 12th of her career.   

The Tigers nearly took a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes of the second half, but Schwaner made a miraculous save on a point-blank shot by sophomore midfielder Kaeli Vandersluis on a re-direct of a cross from Lyman.

“Credit the Southern Miss goalkeeper,” Bennett said of Schwaner, who finished with eight saves. “She made a couple of massive saves today and really gave them a chance to win. She really had a great game.”

The Tigers improved to 10-3-4 overall and 5-2-1 in conference play. The Golden Eagles dropped to 4-9-1 overall and 1-6-0 in the league.

Thanks to Houston's 1-0 victory at second-place University of Memphis, coupled with third-place East Carolina's 0-0 tie with the University of Tulsa, Colorado College vaulted into second place in the C-USA standings with three road games remaining.

“We like where we are right now and the confidence among our players is pretty high,” Bennett said. “We've done a good job of staying healthy and focused, and we just have to continue down that path.”

CC travels to Texas next week for a night game at the University of Houston on Friday and a showdown with first-place Rice on Sunday afternoon.