Georgia Southern 2, Western Carolina 0
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Women's Soccer pounded two late goals across the line for a 2-0 victory over Western Carolina on Friday, October 7th, at Eagle Field. The win gives the Eagles their first league win of the season and improves Georgia Southern to 3-7-2 overall. Western Carolina falls to 8-4-1 overall and 3-2-0 in league play.
"It was a good win today," said Head Coach Lindsey Vanderspiegel. "Getting three points in the league are going to go a long way. With as much parity as our league has, every point you can get is going to matter. The girls really enjoyed getting the win and we as coaches enjoyed it just as much."
The Eagles grabbed control of the match in the 73rd minute with a goal by Lindsey Vasher (Richmond Hill, Ga.). A corner kick was pushed outside of the area where defender Lindsay Hammer (Evans, Ga.) came forward to meet the ball. She lofted the ball over the retreating attack where Vasher remained in space. Vasher nicked the ball over the Western Carolina goalkeeper and into the net.
Courtney Collins (Mason, Ohio) doubled the Georgia Southern advantage and nailed down the victory in the 82nd minute with her fifth goal of the year off an assist by senior Sara Oland (Evans, Ga.). Oland's through ball sprung Collins as the Catamounts pressed forward for the equalizer. Collins got the ball in the penalty area and made a move around the goalkeeper to walk the ball into the net.
Goalkeeper Katie Merson (Albuquerque, N.M.) kept her second clean sheet on the trot, making three saves in the victory.
Georgia Southern wraps up a fortnight of home matches at Eagle Field on Sunday, October 9th, against Appalachian State. The Eagles and Mountaineers square off at 2 p.m.
UNCG 4, The Citadel 2
Charleston, S.C. - A red card dished to Hannah Warne for a handball on a shot on goal in the eighth minute left the Bulldogs at a "man down" disadvantage for the final 82 minutes of the game as The Citadel Soccer team fell just short of topping UNC Greensboro, 4-2, in a Friday afternoon SoCon battle on Washington Light Infantry Field.
Four of the game's six goals were scored in the first 16 minutes of play on Friday including two penalty shot goals, one by each team. Senior captain Amy Loughran opened the scoring floodgates early as she collected a cross-pass from Mariana Garcia in the seventh minute that she was able to drill off the post and past UNC Greensboro goalkeeper Kelsey Kearney to give the Bulldogs a quick 1-0 lead.
However, the advantage would only last one minute and thirteen seconds as the Bulldogs (4-7-1, 2-2-1) would receive a costly foul in the box to give the Spartans (5-7, 4-1) a penalty kick that Stephanie Partenheimer would knock past Bulldog keeper Sarah Katchen.
The Citadel would get their shot at a penalty kick a few minutes later as UNC Greensboro committed their own costly foul in the box to give Vanessa Aponte a penalty shot that she would drill to the back of the net for her sixth goal of the season, and give the Bulldogs a 2-1 advantage just 11 minutes into play.
The scoring frenzy continued as the Bulldogs let Spartan midfielder Kaytee O'Brien free as she gathered a pass from defender Casey Goodwin that she was able to finish for the equalizer.
Eight more shots would be sprayed towards the goal for the remaining 30 minutes of the first half, but great defense and goalkeeping would prevail as the half would end in a 2-2 tie.
The two goals in the first half of play matched the total amount of goals that The Citadel had scored against UNC Greensboro in their previous 10 meetings.
The start of the second half was the complete opposite of the first, as both defenses held their ground and were able to stave off any solid scoring opportunities.
It wasn't until the 84th minute of play when UNC Greensboro forward Kristin Player would take a centered pass from Ashley Stokes that found Bulldog keeper Laura Serafino out of net. Player would tap in the open net go ahead goal to give the Spartans a 3-2 advantage.
With just six minutes to play The Citadel would attack the net and look to squeeze the equalizer past the Spartans, but UNC Greensboro was able to clear a pass on an open defense that Ashley Stokes placed in the right corner of the net in the 85th minute to close out the 4-2 victory.
"It was as good game. Both teams went forward well and played good soccer. With a save or two, we would have been alright in this game," said Coach Bob Winch.
The Citadel will finish out their final home weekend series on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 2 p.m. against Elon on WLI Field.
College of Charleston 2, Elon 1
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston women's soccer team downed Elon by a 2-1 count for the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend at Patriots Point on Friday evening. Freshman Francesca Kentimenos (Stony Point, N.Y.) picked up three points on the night with a goal and an assist.
"We looked good on both sides of the ball but give credit to Elon because they came trying to win this match and we love to play against teams like that," said head coach Christian Michner. "Our kids held themselves accountable on both sides of the ball and worked extremely hard.
"We scored two phenomenal goals. Francesca [Kentimenos] is just a freshman for us this year and you could see in just a couple of touches what she's able to do. We had some amazing performances all around the field tonight and got the result we wanted."
After a quiet first half, CofC snagged an early second-half lead when Alli Brashear (Brunswick, Ga.) slotted Kentimenos on the left side of the pitch and Kentimenos fired a shot over the keepers' head from 32 yards out.
The lead wouldn't hold long, however, as Elon was granted a penalty kick in the 52nd minute and Catherine Brinkman capitalized for her fifth goal of the season and the game's equalizer.
CofC had several quality chances at the game winner down the stretch and the persistence paid off in the 87th minute when Kentimenos sent a ball into the box from the right side and Sarah Cardamone (Downingtown, Pa.) elevated above the crowd and headed the ball into the back of the net.
The Cougars opened Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend which they are doing as a joint effort with the men's soccer program to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. A silent auction was held through the women's game and will continue during the men's game tomorrow night against Furman at 7 p.m. with the winners to be announced at halftime.
"The atmosphere was absolutely amazing out here," said Michner. "Our fans were electric and with all the pink, the breast cancer awareness match and the celebration of the research that goes into finding a cure for that awful disease. It was a great night."
The Cougars continue SoCon play with a pivotal match against UNC Greensboro on Sunday, Oct. 9 at Patriots Point at 1 p.m. The Cougars will celebrate Senior Day and honor the careers of five outstanding senior players.
Davidson 3, Appalachian State 0
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Senior midfielder Stephanie Gerow (Houston, Texas) matched her career-best with three points on a goal and assist in pacing the Wildcat women's soccer team to a 3-0 shutout win at home against Appalachian State on Friday night at Alumni Stadium in Southern Conference action.
Davidson (5-6-2, 3-2 SoCon) improved to 2-1 on the four-game homestand and earned their third win in the last four contests. They also ran their all-time record against ASU (5-7-1, 1-3-1 SoCon) to 19-2-3, while remaining unbeaten at home in the series at 9-0-1.
Gerow got the scoring started two minutes into the start of the game when she gathered in a corner kick from Rachel Stelter (The Woodlands, Texas) and fired a shot off the cross bar that was rebounded by Carly Barhim (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.), who knocked the ball to the near post for her first career collegiate goal. She became the 12th Wildcat to net a goal this year.
After being held scoreless then remainder of the first half and 15 minutes into the start of the second half, the Wildcats broke through again. They added to their lead in the 64th minute with a penalty kick from Sophie Newsom (Atlanta, Ga.) after Stephanie Piperno (Harwinton, Conn.) drew a hard foul inside the 18-yard box to set up the PK. Newsom's goal was the third of the season for the senior, who had not scored a goal entering this year.
Four minutes later, Gerow finished off the Mountaineers with her first goal of the season on a header in the 67th minute. Julie Calhoun (Palos Verdes, Calif.) sent a perfect ball to Gerow, who squared up and headed in the pass for a 3-0 Wildcat lead and eventually the win.
Freshman Rachel Locke (Carlsbad, Calif.) earned her second shutout win of the year, coming up with four saves in her 90 minutes of play. ASU's Amy Kolowsky finished with five saves.
The Wildcats close out their homestand with a 2 p.m. contest on Sunday vs. Western Carolina.