Meghan Johnson came in clutch for the Tigers with her first career goal. The sophomore, Baton Rouge native secured LSU’s first win of the season with a huge 1-0 game winner with a double overtime golden goal over Navy on Aug. 25.
In the first minute of the second overtime period, sophomore defender Shannon Cooke gained possession of the ball on the defensive end and struck a ball with authority, landing on the Navy side of the pitch. Johnson then battled with a Navy defender and came out with the ball after a bad first touch by the Navy defender.
Johnson was able to gain and maintain control of the ball and create space after a swift move to beat the goalkeeper. She then proceeded to place the ball in the near side of the goal, just missing the recovering defender.
“Coach was like, ‘Go score the winning goal,’ and I was like, ‘I will do my best, coach,’ so I just had this mentality that I just have to go out there and get it,” Johnson said. “This is my chance. This is the perfect opportunity, and I knew I was not going to get a better chance than this.”
Although the game was in Annapolis, Maryland, that did not stop Johnson’s family from being able to watch her score her first collegiate goal. Johnson’s family made the 1,000-mile trip from Baton Rouge to Annapolis, and it could not have meant more to Johnson to have her family there to support.
“It feels amazing to have finally got my first goal,” Johnson said. “I have been waiting all my life to be here being a hometown kid. It’s awesome to have my family around me. Having my family there just means that much more to me.”
As a freshman, Johnson did not contribute much to the team with only six appearances last season and attempting a minimal two shots.
Four games into the 2019 season, Johnson has already made an appearance in every game thus far and doubled her shot total from 2018 (4). Johnson could not have picked a better time to break out and set the tone for the Tigers. After her clutch performance, she will be looked upon to play a more predominant role this season.
Johnson and the Tigers return to the pitch on Sunday, Sept. 15, as they host Arizona State at noon.