ITTA BENA, Miss. – The Devilettes of Mississippi Valley State University picked up their first win in Southwestern Athletic Conference play Thursday with a 3-1 triumph over in-state rival Jackson State.
 
Laadi Issaka scored two goals, including the match-winner in the 48th minute, to lead the Devilettes (4-8-2, 1-4-1 SWAC). Valley hosts Southern on Sunday, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
In a physical match that saw 28 fouls and seven cards issued between the two teams, it was the Devilettes who struck first in the 22nd minute. After regaining the ball in transition, Aryana Saenz sent a short, flip pass to Issaka on the run, who got behind the defense and fired a strike from three yards out.
 
The visiting Lady Tigers (1-14, 1-6 SWAC) leveled in the 27th minute on a free kick that was perfectly placed by Ivana Setka into the top of the net.
 
Issaka's second strike three minutes after the restart looked much like the first, only with the assist coming from Karenth Zabala-Terrazas, one of two assists she would record in the match.
 
Ronia Pierre-Louis scored her first goal of the season in the 87th minute to put the match out of reach with less than three minutes before the final whistle.
 
Though the Devilettes kept the ball on the Jackson State side of the field for the majority of the match, Valley goalkeeper McKenzie McCarthy was still tasked with making seven saves out of JSU's eight shots on goal. The freshman picked up her first collegiate victory Thursday.