#20 UNCG 3, Wofford 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Three different UNCG players scored in the first 11 minutes of play and keeper Kelsey Kearney set a school record with her 26th career shutout as the 20th-ranked Spartans cruised past Wofford on Friday, 3-0.
With its ninth win in a row, UNCG improved to 12-1-1 on the year, including a 7-0-0 mark in Southern Conference play. Wofford fell to 5-5-4, 0-3-4 in the SoCon. The Spartans' nine-game winning streak is three shy of the school record set in 2007.
Kearney had to make just two saves for her seventh shutout of the season. The junior from Durham, N.C., moved into sole possession of first place on UNCG's career list, surpassing Jennifer Stillman, who had 25 shutouts from 2002-05. Kearney also took over sole possession of fourth place in SoCon history.
"It's a fantastic achievement for Kelsey, setting that record for herself in the course of her junior year," UNCG coach Eddie Radwanski said. "We're happy for her and hopefully she'll continue to build upon it."
The match got off to a wild start, with sophomore Lauren Hein scoring just 1:56 into the contest. Cat Barnekow, who entered the match leading the SoCon in assists, played a cross into the box that Hein headed past Wofford keeper Katie McChesney. Freshman Stine Schoening also picked up an assist on the play.
The Spartans made it a 2-0 game in a matter of minutes, as Jaimey Etten notched her third goal of the season in the seventh minute. Etten took a corner kick that bounced around and back to her, and she buried it to make it a two-score game.
The early offensive onslaught continued as Jenn Partenheimer scored her career-best sixth goal of the season to make it 3-0 game just 10:56 in. Partenheimer took a shot that McChesney saved but couldn't wrap up, and Partenheimer put away the rebound.
Kearney and the UNCG defense did the rest, holding the Terriers to just six shots in the contest. The Spartans took 17.
"The team got off to an excellent start today," Radwanski said. "We jumped on the opponent and never really let up. Constructively, we should have been a little bit more clinical with our finishing as the game went on, but sometimes the game goes like that. Whenever you get a win on the road, it's a good win. To jump on a team early like we did today was a great way to start the game."
Wofford's lone shot in the first half came off the foot of Nikki Siebert in the 15th minute, but Kearney was there to make the save.
Sydney Reed had the Terriers' only other shot on frame, but Kearney made the save in the 80th minute to keep the shutout intact.
Hein led UNCG with five shots on the evening, while Reed had three to lead Wofford.
Kimberly Cohn relieved McChesney to start the second half, making three saves and not allowing a goal in 45 minutes. McChesney made three saves of her own but took the loss by allowing the three first-half goals.
Kearney's milestone further cemented her place in UNCG lore, as she is already the school's - as well the SoCon's - career leader in goals against average. With a 0.58 mark this season, she has lowered her career GAA to 0.63.
The Spartans will try to run their winning streak to 10 games Sunday at Furman. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Greenville, S.C. Wofford hosts Elon Sunday 1 p.m.
Samford 1, Appalachian State 0 (2 OT)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- For the second match in a row, Samford's Sarah Wilkinson tallied a golden goal in overtime to lift the Bulldogs' soccer team to a 1-0 victory over the Appalachian State Mountaineers Friday in Southern Conference action held at Bulldog Field. Wilkinson, Samford's junior forward from Euless, Texas, scored the decisive goal exactly 3:04 into the second overtime period.
On Sunday, Wilkinson notched the Bulldogs' game-winning goal against Furman in the initial overtime frame. Friday's score was Wilkinson's fifth of the season, tying her for the team lead in the category.
With the victory, Samford (9-5-1, 5-2 SoCon) extended its winning streak to five-consecutive matches and improved to 6-2-1 at Bulldog Field this season.
Samford goalkeeper Alyssa Whitehead registered her eighth shutout of the 2010 campaign and tallied the 22nd of her career. With Sunday's shutout, she set the Bulldogs' all-time record in the category, surpassing former great Crystal Royall. Royall closed out her illustrious career with 21.5 shutouts in four seasons.
With the loss, Appalachian State (4-6-4, 1-3-3 SoCon) had its four-match undefeated streak snapped and suffered its first loss since a 2-1 double-overtime defeat against The Citadel on Sept. 26. The Mountaineers dropped to 0-3 in their all-time series with Samford.
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 2 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs square off against the Western Carolina Catamounts at Bulldog Field.
Appalachian State will look to rebound Sunday at Chattanooga with a 1 p.m. start.
Chattanooga 1, Western Carolina 1 (2 OT)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- For the third time in four games, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga went into double-overtime coming up with a 1-1 draw against Western Carolina in Southern Conference women's soccer action Friday night at Finley Stadium.
Western Carolina got the first score thanks to a well-placed corner kick from Laura Greb that glanced off a pair of Chattanooga players at the front of the goal and into the net in the ninth minute of play.
The Lady Mocs responded with the equalizer from sophomore Becca Smith (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) from about 20 yards out on the left. Western Carolina's keeper Caitlin Williams was unable to get a handle on the ball as it crossed the goal line to tie it up at the 35:22 mark of the game.
Chattanooga dominated play keeping the Catamounts from even taking a shot until 75th minute of play. The Lady Mocs outshot WCU 34-6 with 12 shots on goal to the Cats five.
Williams had 11 saves for Western Carolina while Chattanooga keeper freshman Taylor Mangrum (Franklin, Tenn.) had four on the night.
Chattanooga will return to action at Finley Stadium Sunday afternoon against Appalachian State at 1 p.m. and admission is free. Live stats and video streaming will be available at GoMocs.com.
Western Carolina continues its road trip with a 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT) match at Samford on Sunday afternoon in Birmingham, Ala.
Elon 3, Furman 2 (2 OT)
Greenville, S.C. -- Catherine Brinkman scored her first two goals of the season, including the match-winner in double overtime, to rally Elon from a two-goal deficit as the Phoenix downed Furman 3-2 in Southern Conference women's soccer action on Friday evening at Stone Stadium.
The loss dropped Furman to 8-5-2 overall and 3-2-2 in the SoCon. Elon upped its record to 9-5-1 overall and 4-3-0 in league play.
With less than a minute and a half to play in the second overtime period, Brittany Hallberg played a ball into the path of Brinkman near the penalty spot and the freshman tucked a shot into the left-hand corner past charging goalkeeper Jessica Smith at the 108:43 mark to lift the Phoenix to their second straight win over the Paladins.
Furman raced out to a 2-0 lead in the opening 21 minutes of the match behind goals from Rachel Shelnutt and Laura White. Shelnutt, a junior from St. Simons Island, Ga., took a pass and exploded around the left side of the Elon defense before placing a left-footed shot into the far right corner at 5:57 to give the Paladins a 1-0 advantage on her league-leading ninth goal of the season.
In the 21st minute, Ashley Creavalle lofted a bending cross towards the penalty spot from the right sideline that Casey McKeon settled and shot on goal. Elon keeper Kristen Haney made a diving save, but White deposited the rebound into the back of the net for her third goal of the campaign as Furman upped the lead to 2-0.
Chelsey Stark gave the Phoenix new life in the 37th minute dribbling from the midfield past four Paladins defenders before touching a shot into the right corner to put Elon on the board and trim the Furman lead to 2-1 at intermission.
Elon pinned in the Furman defense in the second half and outshot the Paladins 8-3 over the final 45 minutes of regulation, but the Phoenix failed to find the net until Brinkman buried a shot from the left side of the box on an assist from Kimmie Krauss at 79:32.
The Phoenix held a 21-17 edge in shots while each team totaled nine shots on goal. Haney registered seven saves for Elon while Smith stopped six shots for Furman.
Furman wraps up its home schedule on Sunday when it hosts 20th-ranked UNC Greensboro at 2 p.m. The Paladins will honor seniors Ashley Creavalle, Graham Marchman, Chelsea McKie and Meagan Zusi prior to kickoff.
Elon travels to face Wofford on Sunday afternoon in Spartanburg, S.C.