Davidson 2, Vanderbilt 1 (OT)
CHARLESTON, S.C. ?? The Davidson women's soccer team opened up the College of Charleston Tournament in dramatic fashion with a thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Vanderbilt thanks to a header scored by sophomore Blakely Low (San Antonio, Texas) in the 98th minute on Friday at the College of Charleston soccer complex.
Davidson evened its record to 3-3 on the year and moved the all-time series mark against Vanderbilt to 1-3-1 with the program's first-ever win against the Commodores. The two teams had not faced each other since the 1993 campaign when the Wildcats dropped a 4-0 decision. Vandy fell to 2-4-1 on the year.
“What a performance by our team,” exclaimed head coach Greg Ashton. “It's a great win for the program and easily the best win I feel since I've been here. Our second-half performance was the best all year and it started with the determination of our three front-runners, who turned up the pressure on the Vandy defense.”
Low made all the hard work and determination pay off for the Wildcats at the 98:19 mark of overtime. Davidson drew a corner kick where senior Nancy Haskell (Blacksburg, Va.) was called on to take the kick. She sent a nicely placed ball into the six-yard box and Low raised above the Commodore defenders to take the ball in the air with a header to score the game-winning goal and the first score of the season for the sophomore.
“We started overtime very aggressive and we deserved every opportunity we got, which included the corner kick,” said Ashton. “Nancy, one of our senior tri-captains, took it upon herself to take charge from there. She sent a nice ball to the box off the kick where Low, who hustled all evening, hit a tremendous shot. I'm thrilled for Blakely and our team.”
The inspired play by Low and her teammates off the bench in the second half, started the pressure on the Commodores and helped Davidson tally its first score of the evening as well as the eventual game-winner.
Five minutes into the second half the pressure got to Vanderbilt. Sophomore Lauren Conner (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) sent a cross to fellow sophomore Kyri Bye-Nagel (Hanau, Germany), who fired in her team-leading third goal of the season to tie things up at 1-1.
Hannah Gonzales of Vanderbilt gave her team a 1-0 advantage in the first half. Gonzales found the back of the net off a free kick at the top of the 18-yard box where she went to the top left-corner of the goal.
Senior Bevin English (Charleston, S.C.), playing in front of her hometown crowd, registered six saves for her sixth straight game with five or more saves in a contest.
“English did a fabulous job on keeping command of crosses that entered her goal box and kept us in the game,” said Ashton.
Vanderbilt finished with a two-shot advantage, 12-10, in the game and had nine corner kicks to Davidson's three.
Davidson looks to carry the winning momentum into Sunday afternoon's contest when it faces unbeaten LSU (5-0-2), who was playing College of Charleston in the night cap of the tournament on Friday. Gametime is set for noon for the Wildcats vs. LSU game.
Scoring Summary
38:10 VU Hannah Gonzales (unassisted)
50:21 DAV Kyri Bye-Nagel (Lauren Conner)
61:27 DAV Blakely Low (Nancy Haskell)
Notes: Davidson earned just its second in-season tournament win in the past four years ... Low's goal was the third of her career ... the Wildcats win against Vanderbilt was the program's third win against a SEC school.
Western Carolina 2, Gardner-Webb 0
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Western Carolina women’s soccer team, behind yet another flawless defensive performance, defeated Gardner-Webb, 2-0, Friday evening in Boiling Springs, N.C. Freshmen Liz Eichler and Andrea Williams both recorded first half goals to put the Cats up for good. Reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week, goalkeeper Caitlin Williams, turned away six shots for her third shutout of the year.
Western Carolina (5-3-0) kicked off the scoring at the 30:22 mark of the first half, when Andrea Williams took a crossing pass from teammate Heather Dittmer and put her shot into the bottom right corner of the net. The goal was Williams’ second of the season, and Dittmer received credit for her second assist of the year.
A mere 11 minutes later, Liz Eichler corralled a Williams’ shot off of the goal post, and fired in her second career goal, putting the Cats up 2-0. Williams was credited with the assist on the play, giving her three points for the night.
Western dominated the first half offense, out shooting Gardner-Webb 7-3. In the second frame the Bulldogs (2-5-0) tried to make a comeback, registering seven shots to Western’s three to even the game totals at ten. However, Williams continued her second half brilliance, with not only her third game shut out, but her fifth second-half without allowing a goal. Not even halfway through her first season with the Cats, Williams moved into fourth place on the all-time career shut out list.
The Catamounts will look to keep the wins coming when the travel down to Charlotte, N.C. on Sunday afternoon to take on the Lady 49ers of Charlotte. Gametime is set for 1:00 p.m. They will then open Southern Conference play the following Thursday with a match at Furman at 6:00 p.m.
The Citadel 3, USC Upstate 2
Charleston, S.C.- After a 90-minute survival of the fittest, The Citadel soccer team out- fought USC Upstate and beat them 3-2 in Friday night action.
Freshman Jessa Scott scored the game-winning goal for the Bulldogs in the 79th minute of play. After a cross from freshman Jessica Stewart, Scott found the ball with her head and into the net, putting the Bulldogs ahead, 3-2.
The Citadel struck first just 12 minutes into the first half when senior Aly Woodhead found junior Emily Haller on the 18 yard line. Haller touched the ball past a Spartan defender and fired a shot from just inside the box that soared past goalkeeper Samantha Spradley and into the upper 90 of the net. The goal marked the first career goal for Haller.
The Cadets had another scoring opportunity when Haller crossed the ball into Scott, whose header barely skimmed the cross-bar yet later connected the same ball for the game-winning goal.
In the 42nd minute of play, the Spartans evened the score when Santana DeFreitas connected with Melissa Kuhar who slotted it past Bulldog goalkeeper Britni Bunnell for her third goal of the season.
16 minutes into the second half, the Bulldogs took advantage of their offensive push forward. Haller beat a Spartan on the outside and crossed the ball into Scott who then headed the pass on goal. The ball went wide of the net, but sophomore Dianna Martin was waiting on the back post and finished into goal for her first of the season and second career goal.
The Spartans also continued to attack the Bulldogs and found a scoring opportunity after a free kick from Liz Pontillo. Instead of shooting the ball, Pontillo passed the ball wide to Meg Korpita who then crossed the ball to Kuhar. Kuhar headed the ball past new Bulldog goalkeeper Lisa Wilson and into the net connecting for her second goal of the game and tying the game at 2-2.
Scott’s second half goal pushed the Bulldogs past the Spartans, earning their second win of the season. For the Bulldogs, Haller had five shots and one goal and Scott followed right behind her with four shots and a goal. The Citadel had a season high 15 shots and three goals.
USC Upstate was lead by Kuhar with five shots and two goals with Korpita and DeFreitas each notching two shots of their own. The Spartans tallied 13 shots for the evening.
The game truly was physical battle with each team racking up fouls in the double digits. In addition, the physical play lead to three Spartan yellow cards and one Citadel yellow card.
The Citadel improves to 2-6-, 0-1 while USC Upstate drops to 3-2. Wilson earned the win for the Cadets who tallied one save during the contest while Spradley adding six saves.
“I am so proud of the way we played tonight and for winning the battle,” said head coach Bob Winch. “Obviously it was a very physical game, but the team played great soccer and capitalized on our scoring opportunities.”
“Jessa and Emily both played the best they have all season and with a lot of effort and guts,” said Winch. “I hope to continue this level of play into next week and into conference play.”
The Citadel will be back in action on September 26th when they travel to play S.C. State at 4 p.m.
For complete coverage on Bulldog soccer, log onto www.CitadelSports.com.
North Carolina State 1, Elon 0 (OT)
ELON, N.C. ? After two scoreless halves, the Elon Phoenix found itself on the wrong end of a 1-0 overtime loss to the visiting North Carolina State Wolfpack at Rudd Field on Friday night in non-conference women’s soccer action. NC State picked up the victory with an own goal early in the extra time to improve to 4-1-2 on the season. The disappointing defeat dropped Elon, who was playing its third consecutive ACC opponent, to 2-4-1.
Despite being outshot 10-1 in the first half, Elon found itself heading into halftime in a scoreless tie as both teams only managed one shot on goal in the stanza.
The Phoenix came out of the lockerroom and applied early pressure in the second half, getting off the only two shots of the first five minutes of the period. The Wolfpack answered back, but Elon’s Lizz Johnson made five stellar saves in the half to keep the game scoreless. Elon put two shots on frame in the period.
Just 56 seconds into overtime, the Wolfpack earned a corner kick. Katie Ruiz sent the ball across the frame and off the head of a teammate to a waiting Elon defender who was unable to clear the ball and deposited the winning score in her own goal.
Johnson stopped seven shots on the night, playing the entire 91:27 while her counterpart, Sydney Little, grabbed three saves to earn the shutout.
A physical game, the two squads combined for 32 fouls while NC State edged Elon in corner kicks (7-2), shots (21-5) and shots on goal (8-3).
Elon will visit Kennesaw State in a 2:00 p.m. start on Sunday afternoon for its next contest.
#13 Tennessee 2, UNC Greensboro 1
GREENSBORO, NC ? The UNC Greensboro women’s soccer team fell, 2-1, to No. 13 Tennessee Friday night at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.
It was anybody’s game the first half as both teams worked their ends of the field. The Spartans (3-3-1) fired away five shots in the first half. The Lady Volunteers (5-1-1) got up nine shots with just three of them on goal.
“We played well the first half,” said Head coach Eddie Radwanski. “It just would have been nice to get a goal, but we were able to come out just as hard in the second half.”
Tennessee came out kicking in the second half putting up 15 shots. This time, the Lady Vols were able to get past UNCG senior goalkeeper Katherine Ryan twice. Tennessee’s first goal came from Emily Redberg. Redberg got a quick touch on a cross from Kylee Rossi in the 68th minute for her first goal of the season.
At 89:10, Mick Imgram fired in an unassisted goal; her first of the season.
With just under a minute left of the game and Tennessee up, 2-0, freshman Kristin Player found a loose ball at the top of the 18 and fired it in the bottom right corner just past the hands of Tennessee goalkeeper Jaimel Johnson. The 89:13 goal is Player’s fourth of the season.
“It was a battle until the final minutes,” said Radwanski. “But at sometime something had to give. The game was there for us to win, but we just weren’t able to connect. And credit to Tennessee. They are very good at the quick flick and tonight it worked for them.”
Senior goalkeeper Katherine Ryan was awarded the Greg Harrison UNCG Player of the Game Award.
With the loss, the Spartans end their non-conference schedule and begin conference play next week as they travel to Wofford on Thursday, September 27 for a 6:00pm game.
For more information on UNCG women’s soccer and all other Spartan athletics visit www.uncgspartans.com.
AGATE
SCORE BY PERIODS
1 2 Total
UNCG.... 0 1 1
TENN..... 0 2 2
SCORING SUMMARY: TENN Redberg (2) (Rossi), 68:51; TENN Imgram (1), 89:10; UNCG Player (4), 89:13
Shots: TENN 24, UNCG 10
Saves: TENN 2 (Johnson 2), UNCG 7 (Ryan 7)
Corner Kicks: TENN 7, UNCG 2
Fouls: TENN 8 (YC-TENN Rossi, 57:07), UNCG 6
Charleston Southern 1, Wofford 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- A goal in the game’s first minute was all Charleston Southern needed as the visiting Lady Buccaneers scored a 1-0 victory at Wofford in women’s soccer action Friday night at Snyder Field.
Caitlyn Gunyan, near the sideline, played a cross to a wide-open Marky Boyce standing 40 yards from the net. Boyce then set the ball over the top of Terrier goalkeeper Katie McChesney and into the back of the net at :41 seconds.
Both teams had their chances throughout the game but neither could get the ball across the goalline as the early score held up. Charleston Southern (3-2) had an opportunity to add to its total in the first half but Wofford (4-2-1) senior defender Rachel Hyatt cleared it off the backline.
In the second half, the Terriers nearly knotted the scoring on a Kendra Merchant attempt but a Lady Buc defender would not allow the goal.
Wofford will return to action at 2 p.m. Sunday when it travels to Clemson, S.C., to face nationally-ranked Clemson at Riggs Field.
Marshall 2, Georgia Southern 0
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Georgia Southern women’s soccer held the advantage in shots and corner kicks, but former-Southern Conference foe Marshall outscored the Eagles, 2-0, Friday afternoon at Eagle Field to garner the non-conference victory.
The Thundering Herd improve to 3-4-0 with the win, while the Eagles fall to 1-5-0 overall.
“I was well pleased with our effort,” said head coach Ashley Hart. “I thought we attacked well and played extremely hard,” said Hart. “But we still need to work on our composure for a full 90 minutes.”
Marshall was able to capitalize early in the match. The team notched its first goal in the 15th minute when Missy Gordon collected a diagonal pass from Julia Axelsson, and found herself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. She shot the ball from the right side and placed it in the left corner.
In the 24th minute, a Georgia Southern foul just outside the box gave the Herd a free kick. From 20 yards out, Marisa Leconte took the shot and found the back of the net, giving the Herd a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles held a 4-3 advantage in the shots category going into the break.
In the second half, the momentum switched back and forth between both teams.
Georgia Southern’s bench helped provide an extra offensive lift. Junior midfielder Audrey Brown (Fort Worth, Texas) came off the bench and tallied a pair of shots on goal. Mallory Springfield (Marietta, Ga.) and Jenny Anderson (Birmingham, Ala.) both fired a shot off in the second half, but Marshall’s Liz Ortiz was there to make the save.
“I think Jenny (Anderson) and Audrey (Brown) provided a threat off the bench,” said Hart. “We’re deep and we’re able to bring people in and work offensively. We need to just continue to produce opportunities and then finish the opportunities that we create.”
Brown led the Eagles with three shots on the day ? all three on goal, while teammate Ashley Toussaint (Warner Robins, Ga.) notched a pair of her own.
The Eagles held the advantage over the Herd in both shots (9-7) and corner kicks (5-0), but Ortiz was successful in thwarting the Eagle attack, making seven saves on the day.
“Soccer’s a funny game,” added Hart. “When you play a good team, they’ll capitalize on they’re opportunities. Sometimes you can outshoot and outplay an opponent, but still come up short.”
Georgia Southern will next leave Statesboro and travel to High Point, N.C. to take on the Panthers at Vert Soccer Stadium. The non-conference game is slated for Sunday, Sep. 23 at 2 p.m.
High Point 3, Chattanooga 0
HIGH POINT, N.C. -- The Chattanooga women's soccer team fell 3-0 to High Point Friday night at Vert Stadium in a non-conference matchup.
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead on a 10th minute goal by Laura Eldridge off a double assist from Leslie Long and Jen Evans to get on the board at 1-0. It wouldn’t take High Point long to get its second goal, with Beckie Lesh, assisted by Courtney Spotts, scoring just over six minutes later beating UTC keeper Milla Junni who snared just two saves in 90 minutes in goal.
At the 34:31 mark, High Point’s Sara Rager fed a pass to Renee Hitchcock at the far post from the right endline for another insurance goal and the Panther’s went up 3-0 before the half.
Chattanooga would manage to shutdown the High Point offense from there but could not get any going for themselves. Freshman Caroline DeRhodes and sophomore transfer Cassie Bowman each had one shot each, both on goal, for the Lady Mocs’ only scoring opportunities on the night.
High Point improves to 2-3-2 overall. Chattanooga falls to 0-4-1 on the year and will travel to Asheville, N.C., for a Sunday afternoon matchup against the UNCA Bulldogs at 2 p.m.
Scoring Summary:
9:17 HPU Eldridge, Laura (Long, Evans)
15:26 HPU Lesh, Beckie (Spotts)
34:31 HPU Hitchcock, Renee (Rager)
LSU 4, College of Charleston 0
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The CofC women’s soccer team was shutout by Louisiana State, 4-0, Fri., Sept. 21, at Patriots Point Field, the team’s first loss at home.
LSU came into Charleston after playing to a 2-2 draw with the fourth-ranked Texas Longhorns.
At the end of the first half, LSU held a 7-3 shot advantage over the Cougars.
CofC had several breakaways throughout the game including one from midfielder Katie Browne in the 20th minute. Browne sent a cross in to Megan Manthey whose shot was stopped short by Tiger goalkeeper Val Vogler.
The Tigers’ first goal came in the second minute of the game when forward Rachel Yepez took a cross from from Melissa Clarke to find the back of the net for her eighth goal of the season.
Just two minutes later, Clarke added a goal of her own off a pass Amanda Carreno sent into the goalie box (3:59).
In the 35th minute, LSU midfielder Malorie Rutledge sent a corner kick to the left side of the CofC goal. The Cougar defense worked to clear it but deflected it into the net for an own goal.
The Cougars had a close miss when Manthey settled a corner kick from Danielle Jordan and sent a kick wide just missing the goal.
The final goal for the Tigers came early in the second half. Rachel Yepez took a deflection from Rutledge to bring the score to 4-0 (46:06).
The Tigers will face Davidson in game three of the tournament, Sunday at noon. The Cougars will host the Vanderbilt Commodores in the final game at 2:30 at Patriots Point Field.