Davidson 2, UNC Greensboro 1
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Senior Lauren Conner chipped in a rebound shot in the six-yard box for the game-winner in the 79th minute, giving the Wildcat women's soccer team a 2-1 win over UNC Greensboro on Friday evening at Alumni Stadium in Southern Conference action.
Davidson's win broke the Spartans' 33-match unbeaten streak in conference games as the Cats ran their overall record to 4-8-0 and tallied their first league win of the season, 1-2-0. They also snapped their four-match losing streak, and scored their first win over the Spartans since a 3-2 victory in the 2004 SoCon Tournament.
UNCG saw its four-match win streak halted, falling to 6-5-0 overall and 2-1-0 in league play. The Spartans' last league loss came on Oct. 30, 2005, a double-overtime defeat at Furman. Since then, they were 31-0-2, until the Wildcats' 2-1 win.
Playing in front of their home fans for the first time since Sept. 10 after a five-game road trip, the Wildcats used that momentum and gave the fans a great finish to a well-played game.
Tied at 1-all after UNCG's Jenn Partenheimer squared up and drilled a 30-yard shot to the near post, top-right shelf in the 57th minute, Davidson started to take back some of the momentum from that Spartan score and got the ball down on UNCG¹s side of the field in the 78th minute.
After working the ball around, the Cats earned a corner kick on the far side of the field. Junior Allison Drutchas fired a kick to the far side of the six-yard box, where Kyri Bye-Nagel rose up to head the ball, but her shot was deflected. In the scramble for the loose ball, Conner found it on the far post and chipped it in near side for her sixth career game-winner at the 79:03 mark.
Fellow senior Courtney Hart got things rolling for the Cats two minutes into the second half after both teams played to a scoreless tie in the first period. A ball in the 18-yard box was misplayed by the Spartan defense as they tried to clean it after an attacking Wildcat offense had worked the ball into the box. Hart was right there to gather in the miscue and fired off a shot to the near post for her fourth career score and first of the season at the 47:36 mark.
The Spartans nearly took the early lead in the 22nd minute when one of their players drove the ball into the Wildcat 18-yard box and chipped a shot over Jessie Baxa, who had come out to challenge the player.
As the ball trickled close to the goal line, senior defender Sophie Funderburk made a great save, sliding into the goal to redirect the ball before it closed over, keeping things at 0-0.
Baxa picked up the win in goal, finishing with five saves. The Spartans¹ Kelsey Kearney picked up six saves in goal.
The Wildcats held a two-shot advantage (14-12), while also getting four corners to UNCG¹s two.
Samford 1, Western Carolina 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The Samford University soccer team earned a 1-1 draw with the Western Carolina Catamounts on Friday in a critical Southern Conference showdown held at Bulldog Field. Samford led 1-0 with 35 seconds remaining in regulation when Western Carolina's Rachael Shomper tallied the game-tying goal to force overtime. Neither team scored in overtime.
Samford's lone goal of the match was powered home by senior forward Amber Cress. The score was her fourth of the season. A native of Zionsville, Ind., Cress used the goal to move into sole possession of fourth place on the Bulldogs' all-time scoring list with 20.
Cress tallied her goal during the 48th minute of play. After fighting to a scoreless first half, Samford (6-1-2, 1-1-1 SoCon) earned a quick corner kick early in the second period.
On the corner kick, the Bulldogs' Cindy Spiker lofted a perfectly-placed ball deep into the box. The ball bounced off a pair of Catamount defenders and floated into a crowd of Samford attackers. Cress, who was in the right place at the right time, headed the ball to her left and past the outstretched arms of Western Carolina's All-SoCon goalkeeper Caitlin Williams.
The Bulldogs' Spiker was credited with an assist on the play, her first of the season.
Western Carolina (5-3-3, 2-0-1 SoCon) played from behind during the entire second half, but then used Shomper's timely goal to equalize the match.
On the game-tying score, a Samford defender cleared the ball out of her defensive third of the field, but it went directly to Western Carolina's Shannon Fowkes. Fowkes then turned and rattled off a crossing pass to her right into the box. S
Shomper, a native of Millersburg, Pa., then cut from right to left and met the ball with her left foot from eight yards out. The Catamounts' senior one-timed a shot that bounced twice and skipped over the arm of Samford's Alyssa Whitehead. The goal was Shomper's fourth of the 2009 season.
Neither team scored a goal in the two overtime periods, but Samford rattled off a pair of near golden-goal attempts.
With 46 seconds remaining in double overtime, Cress fired a shot for 30 yards out that Williams was forced to reach high and barely tip the ball over the cross bar. Then, on a final corner kick attempt, the Bulldogs' Sarah Wilkinson gathered a pass 20 yards out and rolled a screaming shot that narrowly missed just left of the near post.
Elon 1, Georgia Southern 0
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Elon women's soccer team won its fifth consecutive game, defeating host Georgia Southern, 1-0, to remain perfect in Southern Conference action this season. Junior Brittany Hallberg connected on the game-winner in the 53rd minute of play to help the Phoenix improve to 7-2-1 on the season and 3-0-0 in conference play. The five-match winning streak is the longest by an Elon squad since the 1996 season. Georgia Southern dropped to 0-10-0 overall and 0-3-0 against league opponents.
After a scoreless first half, Elon made some adjustments on defense and looked to put immediate pressure on the Eagle back line. Shortly into the final period, freshman Liz Palmer connected with reigning SoCon Player of the Week Molly Calpin on a Phoenix throw in. Calpin took the pass and served a perfect ball in the box, finding the foot of Hallberg. Hallberg made a quick touch and sent the shot to the far post from about 15 yards out for her second strike of the season at the 52:48 mark.
Elon opened the game with an early chance to get on the board, but Hallberg's shot went just wide of the goal in the fifth minute of play. The Phoenix followed with back-to-back corner kicks, but was unable to punch in the go-ahead goal.
The remainder of the half went back-and-forth with neither team able to finish its opportunities. Elon held the slim 5-4 advantage in shots, while Georgia Southern took five corner kicks compared to three by the Phoenix.
After gaining the early upper hand in the second 45 minutes, the Elon defense played a strong half and allowed the Eagles very little in the offensive third. GSU did not have another corner kick and did not register a shot in goal in the contest. The Phoenix secured its fourth shutout of the season.
Elon will look to extend its winning streak as it heads to Davidson for a battle with the Wildcats on Sunday, October 4. Game time is set for 2 p.m. With another victory, Elon will tie the program record for most Southern Conference wins during its seven years in the league.
College of Charleston 2, Wofford 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Christian Patton scored in the 24th minute, while Freshman Sarah Schaidle netted her first career goal in the 82nd minute to lead the College of Charleston women's soccer team to the 2-0 shutout win over Wofford in Southern Conference action tonight at Snyder Field in Spartanburg, S.C.
Charleston posted its fifth straight shutout in a row and improved to 7-3-1 overall and 3-0 in the league. Wofford fell to 1-10 and 0-3.
The Cougars secured the eventual game-winner midway through the first half at 23:12 when Katie Turner crossed the ball into the box and found Patton on the left side. Patton's shot went to the right of the goalie to give Charleston the 1-0 lead. It was Patton's second goal of the season and Turner's second season assist.
Charleston started the second half with two quick shots in the first two minutes, including one by Julie Romanik which hit the left post. At 81:39, the Cougars added the insurance goal after Katie Kerr fed the ball to Schaidle in the box and from 15 yards out put the ball into the net for the 2-0 lead. It was Kerr's second assist of the year.
Wofford's best chance to score came early in the second half when a shot by Sydney Reed sailed just inches above the cross bar. The Terriers had several chances on crosses but could not connect for the shot.
Sarah Wiggers started in goal for the Cougars and picked up the win with two saves on the night. Wofford's Erika Christensen took the loss and had two saves as well. Charleston outshot the Terriers 10-6, with Liz Miller coming off the bench to lead with three, including one shot on goal. Terrier Monica Ploetzke led with two shots. Charleston held the 5-3 advantage in corner kicks as well.
Furman 2, The Citadel 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Sophomores Katya Gokhman and Laura White netted first half goals as Furman blanked The Citadel, 2-0, to claim its first Southern Conference victory of the season in women's soccer action on Friday night at Stone Soccer Stadium.
The Paladins improved to 7-3-0 overall and 1-2 in the SoCon while remaining unbeaten (3-0) at home. The Citadel fell to 4-7-0 overall and 1-2 in league play.
Gokhman opened the scoring at the 33:43 mark of the first half, rising above her defender to power a header past The Citadel goalkeeper off of a cross from Rachel Shelnutt for her fourth goal of the campaign. Less than five minutes later, at 38:20, Laura White finished on a loose ball inside the six-yard box for her first goal of her collegiate career. Gokhman swung a cross towards the right post and Claire Hodge's header was saved off of the line before White poked in the rebound.
Jessica Smith notched three saves for the Paladins to earn her second shutout of the season. Furman held a 20-6 advantage in shot attempts and 8-3 edge in corner kicks.
The Citadel continues its road trip with a Sunday afternoon match at Wofford. Furman hosts SoCon foe College of Charleston, who is 3-0 in league play, on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Chattanooga 2, Appalachian State 1 (OT)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Freshman Becca Smith netted the golden goal for the Lady Mocs in overtime to give Chattanooga a 2-1 win over Appalachian State Friday night at the North River Soccer Complex.
Sophomore Donna-Kay Henry sent a pass from the left side to Smith who was inside the box. Smith sent a header to the right past Appalachian State keeper Caroline Clarke to the game winner.
The Mountaineers scored early netting goal from Paige Morrow on a corner kick from Sydney Hill with just 2:44 gone in the game. Morrow was waiting on the corner in front of the goal and sent a header into the net to put ASU up 1-0.
Late in the first half, Smith took a pass from Anna Cusick on an indirect free kick at the top of the box and shot it through the defenders to tie the match 1-1 at the 29:48 mark.
The win is the first in Southern Conference play for the Lady Mocs who improve to 6-2 overall and 1-2 in league action. The Mountaineers even out at 5-5-1 and drop their first conference game and are 2-1.