Wofford 0, UNCG 2
SPARTANBURG, SC ? The Wofford College women’s soccer team opened the Southern Conference schedule with a 2-0 loss to UNC Greensboro on Thursday night at Synder Field. Kelly Attayek scored twice for the Spartans in the win. Wofford is 4-4-1 on the season and UNC Greensboro is 4-3-1 overall.
In the first half, the Spartans had a scoring chance at 27:13 when Jennifer Bronson headed the ball over the cross bar off a corner kick from Kristin Player. With less than three minutes to go in the first half, UNC Greensboro had another scoring chance when Kristin Player had a shot from ten yards out that was saved by a Wofford defender.
At 50:52, the Spartans got on the scoreboard when Kristin Player crossed the ball from the right side to Kelly Attayek at the top of the box. Attayek scored with a shot to the left corner of the goal.
Wofford’s Lauren Cozzarelli had a shot blocked by the Spartans in front of the goal at 59:25. The Terriers had another scoring chance when Kendra Merchant had a free kick saved at 67:25. Cozzarelli had a second shot on goal with under eight minutes to play.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead at 84:53 when Kristin Player sprinted down the right sideline to the corner, brought the ball into the box and centered it to Kelly Attayek. Attayek took a shot from ten yards out to the left of the net for the goal.
For the Terriers, goalie Katie McChesney had six saves and two goals against. Spartan goalie Katherine Ryan had the shutout with seven saves. Wofford’s Heather Thompson had a yellow card 72:27.
Wofford will host High Point on Sunday, September 30 at 2:00 pm on Snyder Field.
Furman 1, Western Carolina 0
Greenville, S.C. -- Rachel Fry tallied her fourth goal of the season and Briana da Mota notched her fourth shutout as Furman edged Western Carolina 1-0 in the Southern Conference women’s soccer opener for both teams Thursday evening at Stone Soccer Stadium.
The victory boosts the Lady Paladins to 7-3-0 overall and 1-0-0 in league play while the Catamounts fall to 5-5-0 overall and 0-1-0 in the SoCon.
“I am extremely proud of our effort and resolve tonight,” said Furman head coach Andrew Burr. “This was a blue collar type performance by our team and the back line was outstanding.”
With Furman locked in a scoreless match against a physical Catamount club just before the hour mark, Katie Tucker served a pass into the box that the Western Carolina defense failed to clear. Rachel Fry headed the ball to herself and directed a shot off the bounce passed Catamount keeper Caitlin Williams for the only goal of the match. The tally, coming at 57:53, marked Fry’s fourth goal of the season and moved her into second in the SoCon in points (12) behind teammate Anna Betton.
Each team had an opportunity to seize the lead in the first half, but could not convert. Western Carolina’s Shanna Schmoker collected the ball at the top of the box and forced da Mota to make a diving save with a low, powerful shot to the corner. Furman answered on the attack less than a minute later when Gena Villari found Betton streaking down the right side with a through ball, but Betton’s effort was tipped clear of the far post by Williams.
Da Mota stopped four shots to earn the shutout for Furman in her first game back from injury. Williams managed one save in a losing effort for Western Carolina.
The Lady Paladins held an 8-7 edge in shots, but could only direct two shots on goal. Each team finished the match with one corner kick.
Furman, winners of three straight, travel to Elon to face the Phoenix in a
2 p.m. contest on Sunday. Western Carolina returns to Cullowhee, N.C., to host league favorite UNC Greensboro at 2 p.m.
Davidson 2, Appalachian State 1
DAVIDSON, N.C. For the third time this year, sophomore Lauren Conner's (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) right foot was the hero in guiding the Davidson women's soccer team to a victory when she struck for her third game-winner of the season in the 107th minute of the second overtime and the Wildcats scored a thrilling 2-1 win over Appalachian State on Thursday in both teams first Southern Conference match.
Davidson saw its winning streak reach four as it starts SoCon play 1-0 for the sixth straight year, while improving to 5-3-0 overall this year. ASU saw its school-best seven-match unbeaten streak come to an end as the Mountaineers fell to 0-1 in league play and 5-1-2 overall.
Conner has tallied all three of her career game-winning goals this season.
She netted the lone goal in Davidson's 1-0 overtime win over High Point on Sept. 2. Then in a 3-1 win over Mercer, the sophomore struck for the go-ahead goal in the 61st minute of the second half.
Her heroics were on display yet again Thursday night when it looked as though both teams would play to a draw. With the clock winding down to under three minutes left in the second overtime, Davidson conjured up one last charge.
Off a free kick, sophomore Kyri Bye-Nagel (Hanau, Germany) sent a cross from the far side of the field that was blocked in the 18-yard box. Junior Tiffany Mumby (Houston, Texas) then controlled the loose ball, took one touch and sent a left-footed cross to the goalie box to Conner, who slipped the ball in for the game-winner. The goal was Conner's fourth of the season and tied her for the team lead with Bye-Nagel.
Davidson dominated the majority of the game even before it took a 1-0 lead in the second half, out-shooting the Mountaineers at one time by the count of 15-0 late in the game. They finished with a season-high 23 shots, nine of them on goals.
The Wildcats grabbed what looked like would be the game-winning goal in the 57th minute when sophomore Blakely Low (San Antonio, Texas) picked up her second score of the season on a header off a cross from senior Nancy Haskell (Blacksburg, Va.) in the penalty box. The two hooked up just six days ago on almost the same play in a 2-1 win over Vanderbilt.
Despite keeping control of the field and putting pressure on the Mountaineer defense, Davidson let up a bit with about 10 minutes remaining, resulting in an ASU game-tying goal.
With five minutes to go in regulation, the Wildcat defense was whistled for a handball just outside the 18-yard box. The free kick allowed Jaclyn Hoffman to line up and take a direct shot pass the Wildcat defensive wall and a diving Beth Peters (Atlanta, Ga) on the near side of the goal post to knot things up at 1-all in the 85th minute.
Davidson had two shots in the first overtime that just sailed high, while ASU almost stole Conner's thunder in the second overtime when Caroline Lowe ripped a shot that hit the top of the goal post and bounced straight down.
Peters was there to haul in the ball before any Mountaineer players could push the ball past the goal line, setting up Conner's winning strike.
Peters, in her first collegiate start, registered three saves on the evening as Davidson's defense did a good job of keeping the pressure off her when ASU was attacking.
The Mountaineers' Emma White finished with seven saves.
Davidson hunts for its second SoCon win when the Wildcats travel to The Citadel on Sunday, Sept. 30 for a 2 p.m. affair against the Bulldogs.