College of Charleston 5, Murray State 1
TAMPA, Fla. - The College of Charleston women's soccer team took down Murray State, 5-1, in the team's opening game of the University of South Florida Tournament on Friday afternoon.
CofC (3-1-0) exploded with a four-goal offensive display by putting 11 shots on frame. Murray State (1-4-0) managed six shots on goal with Cricket Wise (Walhalla, S.C.) registering five saves.
Hannah Gmerek (Anderson, S.C.) netted two for the Cougars while Sarah Schaidle (Simpsonville, S.C.), Sarah Cardamone (Downingtown, Pa.) and Francesca Kentimenos (Stony Point, N.Y.) each added a goal.
Kentimenos' goal was the freshman's first in a Cougar uniform.
Haley Hutchens (Irmo, S.C.) and McCallie Jones (Charlotte, N.C.) added assists on the day.
CofC jumped on the Racers early and often with Gmerek's first goal coming in the second minute of the match.
Schaidle's strike came in the 39th minute to put CofC up 2-0. The Cougars' two goal lead was short lived, however, as the Racers retaliated 44 seconds later with their lone goal coming from Shauna Wicker with an assist to Stephanie Gael.
In the second half, Gmerek registered her second goal with Hutchens setting up the play and earning her assist.
The Cougars notched a pair of late goals to stretch the score to 5-1. Cardamone netted her goal in the 84th minute with an assist by Jones. Kentimenos scored in the 88th minute to close the scoring.
CofC closes the tournament with a Sunday-afternoon bout with Vanderbilt at 12 p.m.
UNCG 4, George Mason 1
FAIRFAX, Va. - Junior Lauren Hein scored twice and classmate Karin Sendel scored a goal and dished off two assists as UNCG's women's soccer team downed George Mason on Friday, 4-1, to hand coach Steve Nugent his first career win.
"I'm really, really proud of the girls, really proud," Nugent said. "Under the circumstances, with two losses in the beginning of the season, to get scored on in the first two minutes, away from home, sometimes that's not easy to recover from. But they did."
The Spartans (1-2) quickly found themselves down 1-0 after the Patriots (0-3-1) got a goal from Zoe Doherty in the third minute, but UNCG came roaring back to take control of the game.
Sendel, a transfer from Ohio State, scored the first goal of her UNCG career in the 11th minute, converting a Tinna Bergthorsdottir pass to pull the Spartans level.
Just 23 seconds later, freshman Ashley Stokes notched the first goal of her career, scoring on a one-time volley off a Sendel pass to make it 2-1 in the blink of an eye.
The 23-second spread between goals was just three seconds off the UNCG school record set in 1996.
Hein beat George Mason keeper Alex Bodenschatz and the clock for her first goal, eluding her defender and unleashing a 35-yard bomb into the upper 90 with just seven seconds left in the first half to push the Spartan lead to 3-1.
UNCG and Hein continued to pour it on to open the second half, as the Torrance, Calif., native gave the Spartans a three-goal cushion with her strike in the 47th minute. Sendel picked up another assist on the play, getting the ball to Kristin Player, who sent in a cross from the right wing for Hein. Hein banged it home for her fourth career multi-goal game.
"We talk so much about those moments in a game and how they've affected us negatively over the last couple of games," Nugent said, "and for us to get a goal the way we did at the end of the first half and then right away at the beginning of the second half to make it 3- and 4-1, those are great moments in a game to score."
Meanwhile, keeper Kelsey Kearney kept the Patriots at bay, making five saves on the evening to give her an even 200 for her career and make her just the fifth keeper in school history to reach the plateau.
Kearney made three first-half saves, including one when Mason earned back-to-back corner kicks in the 28th minute, and added two more in the second half.
Bodenschatz made five saves for the Patriots before being replaced by Lyndse Hokanson in the 52nd minute.
The Spartans outshot Mason 12-10 for the game, taking nine first-half attempts. Hein and Doherty share game-high honors with three each.
UNCG returns to action when it hosts No. 19/23 Tennessee at 2 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. Admission is free.
Chattanooga 2, Lipscomb 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga netted its second win of the year with a 2-0 shutout against Lipscomb in a home match at the GPS Soccer Field. The Mocs improve to 2-1-1 overall and the Bison are now 1-3-1 on the year.
Freshman Crystal Mackezyk (Columbia, Tenn.) put Chattanooga on the board in the 44th minute for her second goal of the year. Junior Becca Smith (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) passed the ball down the sideline to senior Donna-Kay Henry (Queens Village, N.Y.) who then cross the ball to Mackezyck who headed the ball past Lipscomb's keeper for the eventual game winner.
"Crystal is one of these players who is in the right place at the right time all the time," UTC Head Coach J.D. Kyzer said. "She's a striker who scored a lot of goals in high school and we are playing her at striker. We get her forward when we get a chance and she scores. She's got a great nose for the goal."
Chattanooga's second goal came in the 74th minute on another assist from Henry, this time to a streaking junior Kelsey Swann (Hixson, Tenn.) who crashed the goal for her first score of the year.
"Kelsey's goal was a beautiful cross," Kyzer said. "She took it on the inside of her foot and was maybe three yards out. It was a crashing of the goal. It was textbook, exactly what we try to do."
The Mocs played at GPS because of maintenance scheduled for Finley Stadium this week.
"GPS is an unbelievable facility," Kyzer said. "This was an away game for us because we don't practice here. The crowd was home and the city is home, but the field was not. We adapted and came away with a great win."
Chattanooga will hit the road for a two-game stretch at the Gardner-Webb Invitational. The Mocs will take on Stetson Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. followed by a Sunday afternoon contest against Jacksonville State at 1 p.m.
Samford 4, Kennesaw State 1
KENNESAW, Ga. --- The Samford University soccer team cruised to a 4-1 non-conference win against the Kennesaw State Owls on Friday as the Bulldogs used goals from Katie Proud, Adrianne Mancino, Trine Taule and Sarah Wilkinson to register their first road victory of the young 2011 campaign at the brand-new KSU Soccer Complex.
With Friday's triumph, Samford (2-3) remained undefeated against Kennesaw State (2-3) and extended its winning streak in the all-time series to three straight matches. The Bulldogs' two previous victories in the rivalry were both held in Birmingham, Ala., at Bulldog Field.
Samford's 4-1 win marked an emphatic end to the Bulldogs' three-match losing streak. Prior to Friday's triumph, Samford dropped hard-fought decisions against Alabama 2-1, UAB 1-0 and 25th-ranked Memphis 2-0.
The Bulldogs' four-goal performance also marked their best scoring output since a thrilling 4-3 victory against The Citadel in the semifinal round of the 2010 SoCon Tournament held Nov. 5 in Cullowhee, N.C.
Kennesaw State suffered its second straight loss Friday and allowed four goals in a consecutive match. On Sunday, the Owls played a non-conference contest at Auburn and dropped a 4-0 decision in Auburn, Ala. In five outings this season, Kennesaw State has already allowed a total of 15 goals.
Late in the first half of play Friday, Samford tallied back-to-back goals from Proud and Mancino to jump out to a 2-0 lead.
Proud, the Bulldogs' speedy sophomore from Knoxville, Tenn., notched her first score of the season in the 40th minute as she chipped a shot deep from the right side of the field over Kennesaw State's goalkeeper Emily Cox. Samford's Brittany Hoffman assisted on Proud's first-half goal.
Approximately four minutes later, the Bulldogs' Mancino also tallied her first goal of the season as she came up from her defensive position and rifled a shot from 30 yards out. Mancino's unassisted goal proved to the game-winning score in Friday's key non-conference contest.
Early in the second half, Kennesaw State's Katrina Frost trimmed Samford's lead to 2-1 as she tallied her fourth goal of the season in the 55th minute of play. On the unassisted score, Frost connected on a free kick that was placed just outside the box.
The Bulldogs then scored their third goal of the evening less than 10 minutes later as Taule notched her first tally of the season in the 65th minute. Taule's goal increased Samford's lead to 3-1 and was assisted by Mancino. The goal-scoring header occurred due to a perfectly-placed crossing pass from the Bulldogs' junior native of Lancaster, Pa.
Samford's fourth goal Friday was scored in the 78th minute by Wilkinson. The Bulldogs' senior native of Euless, Texas, tallied her second goal of the 2011 campaign as she sent a shot from the top of the box past the goalkeeper. The unassisted score gave Samford its decisive 4-1 victory.
The Bulldogs' senior goalkeeper Alyssa Whitehead registered her second win of the season. Against Kennesaw State, Samford's 6-foot-3 native of Hattiesburg, Miss., tallied eight key saves and only allowed one goal.
The Samford University soccer team will enjoy a week off from competitive action before returning home to the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium for a critical in-state matchup versus the Auburn Tigers on Sept. 9. The match is slated to begin at 7 p.m., and admission is free.
Georgia Southern 3, South Carolina State 0
ORANGEBURG, S.C. - Georgia Southern women's soccer recorded its first win of the season with a 3-0 victory over South Carolina State on Friday night, September 2nd. Courtney Collins scored twice and Alex Murphy added another goal as the Eagles took their first win of the season, improving to 1-2-1 on the year. Goalkeeper Katie Merson made six saves en route to the clean sheet win.
The victory gave first-year Head Coach Lindsey Vanderspiegel her first career regular season victory.
Junior Courtney Collins (Mason, Ohio) opened the scoring for the Eagles in the 20th minute off an assist by Sara Oland (Evans, Ga.). The duo combined again in the 69th minute to extend the advantage to 2-0 as Collins scored off a rebounded shot by Oland. Collins' goal was her third of the season.
It took just five minutes for the Eagles to go up 3-0 in the 74th minute. Alex Murphy (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded the unassisted goal, her second of the season, to cement the victory for Georgia Southern.
Sophomore goalkeeper Katie Merson (Albuquerque, N.M.) earned her first career clean sheet, making six saves on the night off 10 total Bulldog shots.
The Eagles out-shot South Carolina State, 12-10, while the Bulldogs earned more corners at a 6-2 clip.
Georgia Southern closes out its four-game road swing with games against Georgia State and Charleston Southern on Friday, September 9th, and Sunday, September 11th. The Georgia State match begins at 3 p.m. in Atlanta and the Charleston Southern match begins at 4 p.m. in North Charleston, S.C.
The Citadel 5, USC Upstate 0
Charleston, S.C. - Four different Bulldogs found the back of the net en route to the The Citadel's 5-0 victory over USC Upstate in game one of The Citadel Nike Classic at WLI Field on Friday. The win improves The Bulldogs' record to 2-1.
The first shot of the game did not come until the seventh minute of play in Friday's game, but it was worth the wait, as sophomore Vanessa Aponte fired a direct kick on a foul shot from approximately 40 yards out that found the back of the goal. Not even seven minutes later, Bulldog freshman Grace Raines recorded her first career collegiate goal as she drilled a 25-yard shot from the middle of the field into the top of the goal.
Much of the same dominance occurred in the final 30 minutes of period one, as the Bulldogs fired a season-high 18 shots, 14 of which were on goal. In the 36th minute, sophomore Mariana Garcia drilled a shot that deflected off the cross-bar and onto the foot of fellow sophomore Ruth Leiva who cleaned up the mess and recorded her first goal of the season.
The Bulldogs would remain three goals ahead until the last three minutes of the half when Garcia landed a beautiful cross to Aponte, who threaded the needle on a 25-yard shot from the right side of the field to tally her second goal of the game and season.
On the other end of the field, senior goalkeeper Laura Serafino acted as a steel curtain, recording six saves on seven shots in just 45 minutes of play. Serafino's performance earned the keeper her second win on the season to improve to 2-1.
"Winning home games are always huge for us. Our team came out strong in the first half and fought hard for the entire 90 minutes," said Serafino. "We are excited to take the good things we did tonight into Sunday's game."
The Bulldogs would finish the first half with a 4-0 lead.
The second half went much like the first for The Citadel as they maintained the tempo early, narrowly missing on four shots in the first nine minutes. The persistence paid off again for the Bulldogs in the 59th minute as the defending Freshman and SoCon Player of the Year recorded her second goal of the season on a corner kick deflection off Spartan goalkeeper Sarah Plantz.
Sophomore Cassie Palmacci finished the game in net as The Citadel stymied the Spartans (0-3-1) for the remainder of the game. Palmacci and the Bulldog defense only allowed two shots in the last 45 minutes of competition, and nine total for the contest en route to a 5-0 blowout.
Western Carolina 1, Cincinnati 1 (2 OT)
CINCNNATI, OHIO - Western Carolina women's soccer (2-1-1) battled the University of Cincinnati (2-1-2) to a 1-1 tie Friday night at Gettler Stadium.
Despite being outshot by the Bearcats, 22-8, Western Carolina took advantage of a great look at the net to take a 1-0 lead early in the second half, after the match was scoreless at halftime. Catamount sophomore Brittany Gendron connected on a free kick from the far left wing that sailed just over UC goalkeeper Kristina Utley's outstretched arms and into the net.
Western Carolina clung to its tenuous 1-0 lead for most of the second half. With just under 17 minutes left in the match, UC found an opening and scored to tie the match. Senior Bearcat defender Kelli Pawelko) struck a corner kick from the right side and sent the ball toward the left end of the goal. Christi Howard found the ball in traffic and headed it to the left net, evening the score 1-1.
Jacobs fended off a frantic pace by Cincinnati in overtime as the Bearcats tried to avoid a draw for the second consecutive match. This was Western Carolina's second overtime match on the year, with Catamounts now holding a record of 1-0-1.
"I am proud of our effort tonight as we continue to learn and grow and thought we played with a lot of fight and energy," said Head Coach Chad Miller. "I thought goalkeeper Katie Jacobs was very solid for us at the net."
Western Carolina returns home on Friday, September 9, to host UNC Asheville at 7 p.m. at the Catamount Soccer Complex.
Massachusetts 2, Elon 1
AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts' Julie Morrissey scored two goals, including a game-winner in the 84th minute, to hand the Elon University women's soccer team a 2-1 setback on Friday evening, September 2, at Rudd Field in Amherst, Mass. Elon falls to 1-2-1 on the year, while UMass improves to 2-0-1 with the win.
"It was an exciting game, but in the end we still allowed our opponent too much space and we have to find a way to not allow teams to have that many opportunities on us," said Elon head women's soccer coach Chris Neal. "I was extremely unhappy with how we managed the final four minutes of the game."
After going down 1-0 at the half, the Phoenix tied it a one-apiece in the 54th minute after rookie Marissa Russo dribbled through a challenge by UMass keeper Stephanie Gordon and netted her first collegiate goal into the back right corner.
"I was very happy for Marissa to score her first collegiate goal in front of her family and friends," Neal added. "It was a very inspirational effort on her part today."
UMass nearly took the lead in the 81st minute after a red card by Bethany Houpt in the box gave the Minutewomen a penalty kick and a chance to take the lead. However, Moa Mattsson's shot ricocheted off the left post and kept the match tied.
Two minutes later, however, Morrissey managed to get a shot off in traffic, sinking it into the back of the net off the left post to put the Phoenix down 2-1 in the 84th minute and all but seal the match.
The Minutewomen outshot the Phoenix, 16-4, and claimed a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks. Along with Russo, Olivia Mackey and Andrea Keller were the lone Elon players to get off a shot in the match.
UMass scored its first goal in the 23rd minute of the first period after Morrissey sunk a cross from Deanna Colarossi into the back of the net to make it a 1-0 game.
The Minutewomen outshot the Phoenix 9-2 in the opening frame, but the two squads each got off three corner kicks in the first 45 minutes.
Shannon Cosgrove and Kate Murphy split time in between the posts for the Phoenix, as Cosgrove totaled two saves, while Murphy notched one in the second half. UMass' Gordon played all 90 minutes and registered one save on two Elon shots on goal.
Elon is back in action on Sunday, September 4, when it heads down the road to Cambridge, Mass., to face Harvard at 12 p.m.
Clemson 1, Appalachian State 0
BOONE, N.C. - After two weather delays totaling nearly three hours, Appalachian State women's soccer yielded to Clemson, 1-0, at a soggy ASU Soccer Stadium on Friday night. With the win, Clemson remains perfect at 4-0-0, while the Black and Gold stand at 1-3-0 on the year.
In the first half, Taylor Dunlap (Fenton, Mich./Fenton) had the Apps best opportunity but her shot was saved by an acrobatic Lauren Arnold in goal for the Tigers.
By the midpoint of the period, formerly clear skies had darkened and lightning silhouetted the surrounding peaks around Boone. With 15:38 remaining, the approaching storm was deemed too close and play was suspended for over two hours.
With the players and field equally refreshed, the teams took to the field, and Clemson's pace soon controlled the action. Several Tigers and Mountaineers engaged in the ball and each other near the ASU goal, and in the end, Liska Dobberstein was able to put the ball in the net for her third goal of the year. Her shot came off a short pass from Heather Marik.
In the second half, the Mountaineers maintained pressure, but both teams struggled to get the ball out of midfield. Nearly twenty minutes into the period, Mother Nature again forced a timeout on the field, this time for little more than 30 minutes.
The Apps continued the fight through the waning minutes, but the efforts of Arnold in goal and her defensive compatriots stifled the Mountaineers' offensive opportunities. In the end, the Tigers' 1-0 lead stood, and Clemson walked away with the win four hours and 42 minutes after the game had started.
Amy Kolowsky (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) made six saves in goal for ASU, as Clemson held a seven to two advantage in shots on goal.
Appalachian wraps up the weekend on the road with a visit to Farmville, Va. to face off against Longwood on Sunday at 2 p.m.
East Carolina 2, Davidson 1
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Despite freshman Julia Singley (Morganton, N.C.) knocking in her third goal of the season, the East Carolina Pirates were able to take a 2-1 decision from Davidson on a rainy Friday evening at Alumni Stadium in women's soccer action.
Singley's goal in the 83rd minutes helped the ‘Cats (1-2-1) cut its deficit in half, but they never were able to get another clean shot on goal the rest of the way.
ECU (3-1) got the game-winning goal off the foot of Mackenzie Semerad in the 65th minute to improve to 3-0 in the all-time series vs. Davidson.
The Wildcats conclude their season-opening five-game homestand with a 2 p.m. contest vs. UNC Wilmington on Sunday.
Jacksonville 1, Furman 0
Jacksonville, Fla. -- Liz Fink's 53rd minute goal proved to be the difference as Jacksonville University slipped past Furman, 1-0, in women's soccer action at the Ashley Sports Complex on Friday night.
The loss dropped Furman to 1-3-0 on the season while Jacksonville upped its record to 2-2-1.
Fink created space in the box and lined a shot past Paladin keeper Jessica Smith and into the far-side netting at 52:36 to hand the Dolphins the one goal victory.
Jacksonville goalkeeper Sarah Sierra notched five saves, including a pair of stops on shots by India Robinson in the second half, to earn the shutout. Smith turned away eight shots for Furman in the loss.
The Dolphins held an 18-16 edge in shots and kept a clean sheet despite Furman earning 10 corner kicks. Dee Makris totaled eight shots, including three on goal, for the Paladins.
The Paladins return the action at the Ashley Sports Complex in Jacksonville, Fla., on Sunday when they face the University of North Florida at 11:30 a.m.