Sweeping through its first weekend ofplay, the LSU soccer team (2-0) avenged its loss to Nicholls State(0-2) last season on Sunday with a 3-1 win.
    The Colonels defeated the Tigers 2-1last season in Thibodaux. Tigers senior forward Artie Brown saidSunday’s victory, before 473 in attendance at the LSU soccercomplex, vindicated the team.
    ”It was a definite revenge,” Brown said.”After the game [last season] they were storming the field –lifting up the goals like it was a big to do and … we had to comeout there and prove to them that it was a fluke what they did lastyear.”
    LSU tripled its scoring from a year ago,taking a 3-0 lead at halftime.
    Sophomore forward Stacy Bishop scoredthe Tigers’ first goal of the game at the 9:27 mark with an assistfrom freshman midfielder Caroline Vanderpool. Brown added thesecond goal at the 14:24 mark with an assist from Stacy Bishop. Itwas the third time in the first two games Brown and Bishop teamedup for a goal.
    ”[Bishop is] great on the ball and shehas one of the best ball-handling skills on the team,” Brown said.”She is able to hold the ball and feed us the ball.”
    Bishop said she shows no favoritism toBrown in assists.
    ”I feel comfortable with her, but I’llthrow the ball to whoever has the best opportunity to score,”Bishop said.
    Tigers sophomore forward Michelle DeCespedes tacked on the team’s final goal at the 35:43 point in thegame.
    The Colonels’ only goal came at the58:04 mark of the second half, while the Tigers failed to score inthe second period, the first allowed by LSU in 2004.
    LSU had 12 shots-on-goal compared to twofor NSU.
    LSU coach George Fotopoulos said hecannot assess where the Tigers are as a team after the openingweekend, but the Tigers need to pick up play in the latter parts ofthe game.
    ”I think we did a poor job today,responding to the physical play of Nicholls,” Fotopoulos said.”After we got the three-goal lead, we just were content.”
    LSU 3 SLU 0
    The Tigers opened the 2004 season Fridaynight with a 3-0 victory over SLU before 641 in attendance at theLSU Soccer Complex.
    Brown scored the Tigers’ first twogoals, with assists from Bishop at the 14:33 and 21:01 marks of thegame. Brown moved into second place on LSU’s all-time record forgoals scored, totaling 28 in hercareer.    
    ”With those two goals, Artie provided alot of electricity for us,” Fotopoulos said after the game. “Ithought she played a solid game.”
    Bishop scored an unassisted goal of herown at the 22:40 mark of the game, rounding up the scoring forLSU.    
    SLU managed only two shots-on-goalduring the game compared to LSU’s 10-spot in the category. Tigersgoal keeper Robyn DesOrmeaux received credit for saves on both ofthe Lions’ shots.
    ”I thought we were sound in all facetsof the game,” Fotopoulos said. “I think for the most part we wereable to hold Southeastern to very few opportunities, which is atribute to our defense.”