Georgia Southern 3, Western Carolina 2
CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Leading in the final minute, Georgia Southern gave up the tying goal with one second left in the match, but sophomore Ashley Toussaint (Warner Robins, Ga.) scored 1:38 into the second overtime for the golden goal lifting the Eagles to a 3-2 win at Western Carolina Friday afternoon.
The win moves GSU to 7-8-1 overall and 5-3 in the Southern Conference. The five league wins are the most by the program since going 7-2-1 in 2002 and guarantee the first non-losing campaign in the conference since that same year.
Inside the final countdown of regulation, the Eagle defense attempted to clear the ball from in front of their own net but Nikki Collins gathered in the loose ball and unleashed a shot from 25 yards out from the left side that found the back of the net with one second showing on the regulation clock.
After battling through a scoreless first overtime session in which WCU out shot Georgia Southern 6-to-1, Toussaint tallied the match-winning goal a minute and 38 seconds into the second extra session. The Eagles played the ball ahead on the left-hand side where two Catamount defenders converged, as well as freshman goalkeeper Kelly Gulledge. Touissant maneuvered the ball and received a fortuitous bounce that slipped past all three Cats where she fired from 11 yards out for the match winner.
Western (9-6-2, 5-2-1 SoCon) opened the match with high intensity, notching a score inside the first three minutes of play. The Georgia Southern defense turned the ball over inside its defensive third where freshman Shanna Schmoker picked it up and shot from 22 yards into the upper left-hand corner of the net.
The Catamounts maintained their one-goal lead until the 33rd minute. Gulledge cleared the ball out to the right side where Eagle sophomore Susanne Rogers crossed into the box where the ball was deflected by the Western defense. The rebound bounced between two players where Toussaint, who was turned sideways to the goal, looped it in the air on net over Gulledge for the tying marker.
After being knotted at one at halftime, Georgia Southern pulled ahead in the 63rd minute scoring on a header off a corner kick. The Eagles played the ball ahead where WCU sophomore defender Arlan Whittle attempted to clear but the ball was shanked of the side of her foot and rolled over the end line for the corner. Sophomore Holli Finneren's (Lake Orion, Mich.) corner kick was headed by an Eagle in the goal box and blocked by a Catamount defender before a second header by junior Jenni Boykin (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) beat the keeper for the 2-1 lead.
Despite a multitude of opportunities throughout the second half, Western needed Collins' last second heroics to send the game into the extra session before falling.
Gulledge suffered her first career loss on the afternoon, recording four saves. GSU's redshirt freshman keeper, Lauren Santos (Berwyn, Ill.), earned the win with 10 saves as the Catamounts peppered the Eagle cage with 33 shots in the match, 12 of which were on goal. GSU finished with nine shots including one in each overtime session. The Catamounts also held a 7-3 edge in corner kick opportunities in the loss, its first since Sept. 29.
The Eagles take a day off before hosting their final home match of the season, Sunday vs. Appalachian State at 2 p.m.
Chattanooga 1, Wofford 1 (2OT)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- With the temperatures dipping down into the 40’s Friday night, the Lady Mocs battled Wofford to a 1-1 double-overtime tie in Southern Conference action at the North River Soccer Complex.
Wofford struck first getting a goal in the 31st minute to take a 1-0 lead. Kendra Merchant sent a pass toward the goal that was picked up by Whitney Steelman. Steelman’s shot bounced off a Chattanooga defender and was picked up by Natalie Ferrara for the score.
The Lady Mocs defense would hold out to keep the Terriers from scoring for the remainder of the game. In the second half, senior Maya Peel tied the game on a pass from Nikki Brannen for her second goal this season.
That score would stand through the end of regulation forcing the second time in as many games for Chattanooga.
“We took the defending Southern Conference tournament champs, Western Carolina, and now Wofford into overtime in each of the last two games,” Lady Mocs head coach J.D. Kyzer said. “There hasn’t been a team here with this much heart since I started coaching here.”
The Lady Mocs had a chance for the ?golden goal’ to win the game in the second overtime. With a foul in the penalty box, Brannen lined up for the shot, but sent it wide, keeping the score tied 1-1. Wofford had a golden opportunity to score when Chattanooga keeper Stacey Matthiessen came out of the net for a save. Matthiessen knocked it off Ferrara’s feet, but didn’t wrap it up so she took a shot that was saved by the defense. Connett attempted to put the deflection back into the net, but it was saved again by UTC to stop the threat.
Chattanooga moves to 3-9-2 overall and 0-6-1 in SoCon action. The Terriers are 5-6-3 overall and 2-4-1 against the league. Chattanooga will head to South Carolina to take on the College of Charleston on Sunday afternoon then hang around for a Wednesday afternoon contest at The Citadel.