Western Carolina 6, The Citadel 0
Charleston, S.C. ? Sophomore Buki Baruwa scored twice and three other Catamounts recorded their first career goals as Western Carolina defeated Southern Conference foe, The Citadel, 6-0 on Sunday afternoon for its second-straight league win. Western is now unbeaten in its last three SoCon outings.
With the win, Western, the defending SoCon tournament champions, earned its sixth-straight victory over The Citadel. The six goals on Sunday were the most this year for the Catamounts and the most under second-year head coach Tammy DeCesare. The six scores also marked the most points in a single match for WCU since also tallying six in a regular season-ending win over Georgia Southern in 2004.
Freshman Shannon Fowkes, the hero of Thursday’s win over rival Appalachian State, opened the barrage by notching her third goal in her last two matches by knocking in the game-winner in the 31st minute of play. The rookie from Smithsburg, Md., dribbled around a Bulldog defender and fired a shot into the upper left corner of the net for the unassisted score.
Three minutes later, junior Rebekah Mumm recorded her first career goal on her second shot of the match, which was also the second of her career. The opportunistic Asheville, N.C., native banged in a rebound off a shot by her classmate Heather Dittmer which bounced off the left post. Dittmer, the Catamounts’ leading scorer, was credited with her second assist on the season to run her point total to 10 on the year.
Inside the 43rd minute, Baruwa scored her first of two goals in the match, depositing a through ball from junior Melissa Berry into the back of the cage to give Western the 3-0 lead at intermission. For Berry, the assist was her first point of the season and the second assist of her career.
After intermission, Western continued the onslaught, posting its fourth goal on the day when freshman Shanna Schmoker netted a cross from senior Keevy Harris in the 60th minute. Schmoker was the second WCU player to record her first career goal. Six minutes later, Baruwa scored her second goal of the game ? and third of the season ? firing a pass from freshman Katie Kole into the upper left-hand corner of the net, giving Kole her first collegiate points. Kole, the Southlake, Texas, native, was not done though scoring her first career-goal with nine minutes remaining in the contest on a cross from senior Meghan Reilly to provide the final tally, 6-0.
Western controlled the pitch on Sunday, enjoying a 27-to-1 edge in shots and a 13-0 advantage in corner kick opportunities in the win.
WCU Freshman goalkeeper Kelly Gulledge earned her third career victory and her second in shutout fashion making just one stop on one Bulldog shot on the day. The Citadel’s Brit Bunnell and Emily Green split time in front of the cage for the Bulldogs, with Bunnell earning the start and making five stops while allowing three goals with Green taking over after halftime making three saves and also allowing three scores.
Western Carolina returns to action on Friday, Oct. 13 when it hosts the College of Charleston at the Catamount Athletic Complex. Friday’s match is a part of the WCU Homecoming Week with Spirit Night festivities, including a fireworks show, to follow the match.
College of Charleston 1, Wofford 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Teryn Schuetz's goal in the 81st minute of action was enough for the College of Charleston women’s soccer team to defeat Wofford, 1-0, at Snyder Field in Spartanburg, S.C. on Sunday afternoon.
The first half was scoreless, with CofC (5-5-2, 3-1-0 SoCon) and Wofford (4-5-2, 1-3-0 SoCon) each taking three shots each. The Cougars had five corner kicks, while Wofford had none.
The lone goal of the match came courtesy of Schuetz’, who netted a shot past the Wofford goalkeeper high on the left post. The goal was unassisted.
Overall, the Cougars had 10 shots and nine corner kicks in the match, while the Terriers had nine shots and no corner kicks.
“Anytime you win a road conference game, it’s a great accomplishment,” said associate head coach, Tim Santoro. “This win gives us confidence for our upcoming matches, especially our match Friday against a difficult Western Carolina team.”
Sophomore Erin Smith had five saves in the match for CofC to receive the shutout, her second of the season.
The Cougars return to action on Oct. 13 against Western Carolina (7-5-2, 3-1-1 SoCon) in Cullowhee, N.C. at 7 p.m.
Elon 3, Chattanooga 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Elon edged Chattanooga 3-2 in Southern Conference soccer action Sunday afternoon at the North River Soccer Complex.
Late in the game, a goal was taken away from the Lady Mocs that would have tied the match 3-3. Elon was called for a dangerous play and Chattanooga forward Nikki Brannen lined up for the free kick just outside the penalty box. The ball sailed over the Phoenix wall and into the net for what appeared to be a game-tying score.
Play was set to start at midfield and the official determined that it should have been an indirect kick and not direct and the goal was nullified and the Phoenix would hold on to claim it’s first conference win of the season.
“Our player looked to the official who had his hand down (indicating a free kick) so she took the shot and it went in the goal,” Lady Mocs head coach J.D. Kyzer said. “We played hard, but that was definitely a let down for us.”
Elon struck first early in the game. From the right side of the goal, Elizabeth Boozer sent a pass to Alisa Petitt in front of the net to go up 1-0 at the 10:37 mark. Less than 10 minutes later, however, freshman Elizabeth Southall tallied her first goal of the season to tie the match 1-1 with 20:27 gone in the game.
Petitt picked up a coner kick from Jaclyn Immordino in front of the net at the 27:00 mark to put Elon up 2-1. That score would stand at the half.
In the second half, Boozer scored the game winner on a pass from Petitt at 66:17, but the Lady Mocs wouldn’t quit and pulled back to within one as Chelsea Hurst took a pass from Brannen and beat out two defenders and the Elon keeper for her fourth goal of the year and make the score 3-2.
With the momentum swinging Chattanooga’s way, Brannen lined up for the free kick with less than 10 minutes to play in the game. Elon (4-7-1, 1-21) would get the ball for a goal kick after the call was changed and hold off the surging Lady Mocs to claim the win.
Chattanooga (3-8-1, 0-5-0 SoCon) will host Western Carolina Sunday, Oct. 15 at the North River Soccer Complex. UTC’s four seniors will be honored in the final home game of the year on Friday, Oct. 20 against Wofford. Elon will host The Citadel Friday, Oct. 13 at Elon.
UNC Greensboro 1, Georgia Southern 0
STATESBORO, GA ? The UNC Greensboro women’s soccer team defeated Georgia Southern 1-0 on Sunday afternoon as the Spartan defense held the Eagles to only two shots in the match in Southern Conference play.
The Spartans got on the board at the 29:06 minute mark when senior Deven Beachum scored her third goal of the season. Beachum connected with junior Karla Davis’ long throw-in in front of the net and shot the ball past Eagle keeper Lauren Santos. With the assist, Davis leads the Spartans with five assists on the year. UNCG held the one goal advantage for the rest of the match.
The UNCG defense held Georgia Southern (5-7-1, 3-2-0) to only two shots, both of which were in the second half, and kept the ball on Georgia Southern’s end of the pitch. The Spartans outshot the Eagles 22-2 and also had a 5-2 corner kick advantage. UNCG improves to 4-0-1 in the SoCon and 5-7-2 overall.
UNCG stays on the road for one more game when it travels to Appalachian State on Thursday for another SoCon matchup. Kickoff set for 3 pm.
Davidson 1, Winthrop 1
ROCK HILL, S.C. Freshman Suzanne Sittko (Greenwood Village, Colo.) netted her third goal on the season and after playing 110 minutes, the Davidson women's soccer team finished with its second draw of the year, a 1-1 tie against the Winthrop Eagles on the road, Sunday, Oct. 8 at Eagle Field.
Davidson's record moved to 6-5-2, while Winthrop saw its record move to 8-4-2.
The freshman duo of Sittko and Courtney Hart (Ashland, Mass.) teamed up to give Davidson an early 1-0 advantage at the 26:25 mark in the first stanza.
Hart sent a cross into the box from the right corner to Sittko, where the freshman took it and blasted in her third goal of the season to give the Wildcats the lead. The assist was Hart's first of her collegiate career.
The Wildcats tried to add a second goal at the start of the second half, getting off four of its seven second half shots in the first five minutes of play, but Davidson could not punch in a second marker.
The Eagles then worked the ball down to the Wildcats end of the field in the 59th minute, where they would strike for their first goal of the game and knot things up at 1-apiece. Michelle Butler started the rally when she sent a long ball down to Allison Stoltz, who then went one-on-one with junior goalie Bevin English (Charleston, S.C.) and found the right corner open to tie things up at 1-all. The goal was Stolz's sixth of the season and she is tied for the team-lead with 15 points.
Jennifer Hensley?s 40-yard attempt in the 55th minute nearly put the Eagles on the scoreboard before Stoltz's goal, but English made a diving save to tip the shot off the crossbar and out of danger for the Wildcats.
An all too familiar situation for the Eagles nearly happened to deflate the team late in the game as Davidson had one last chance to win in regulation.
With 20 seconds remaining, Sittko?s diving header from 12-yards out sailed just over the bar. Sittko finished with a team-high five shots, three of them on goal.
Davidson held a 15-13 advantage in the shot department, earning three of those shots in overtime. It also marked the 10th time the Wildcats have outshot their opponent in 13 games this season.
English, who played all 110 minutes, finished with six saves for Davidson.
Goalie Dimitra Polous also played every minute for Winthrop, registering a game-high nine saves.
Davidson returns home for a single Southern Conference game when it hosts Wofford on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. at Alumni Stadium. The Wildcats hold a 9-3-1 all-time record against the Terriers.