Samford 3, UAB 1

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University soccer team opened its 2012 home slate in impressive fashion Sunday as the Bulldogs’ exploded for a 3-1 victory against crosstown rival UAB in an early season, nonconference matchup held at the Samford Track and Soccer Complex.

Samford (1-3), which extended its home winning streak to six consecutive matches and its home undefeated streak to eight straight contests, received goals from Brittany Hoffman, Trine Taule and McKenzie Thomas on Sunday. The Bulldogs’ goal-scoring output was its highest of the 2012 season.

UAB (0-5) remained winless in 2012, but has also squared off against a challenging nonconference schedule this season. The Blazers opened the campaign with losses to Oregon State and Oregon on the road and Alabama and third-ranked Oklahoma State at home before traveling across town to Samford on Sunday.

UAB struck first in the 10th minute of play as freshman midfielder Paige Hoffman rifled a shot high into the back of the net from 30 yards out. The goal was the first of her collegiate career and she scored it in front of her older sister, Brittany, who is a sophomore forward on Samford’s squad.

After Paige Hoffman’s goal gave the Blazers a quick 1-0 lead, the Bulldogs’ Brittany Hoffman decisively shifted the momentum back to Samford as she evened the score of the match at 1-1 in the 15th minute of action. Hoffman’s equalizing goal was also her first of the 2012 season and was assisted by the Bulldogs’ Michelle Moll.

In the 31st minute of the first half, Taule notched the game-winning goal as she drove by the goalkeeper down the left flank and fired into an empty net from 10 yards out. On the score, Taule received a centering pass from Lindy Robichaux, slipped past a pair of Blazer defenders and faked a shot back toward the right half of the net.

During Taule’s shot fake, UAB’s freshman goalkeeper Courtnie Northern dove to stop the attempt and when she left her feet, the Bulldogs’ midfielder cruised around her to the left and fired home the shot. The goal was Taule’s first of the 2012 campaign.

Samford’s third and final goal of the evening was arguably its most impressive. During the 65th minute of play, the Bulldogs led by a score of 2-1 and had a free kick on UAB’s half of the field approximately 45 yards out.

Jordan Johnson, Samford’s junior transfer from Florida State, took the free kick and sent a high, well-placed ball just inside the left corner of the box. The Bulldogs’ Thomas gathered the pass, dribbled it through a mix of UAB defenders and quickly turned into a shot that screamed past Northern’s right shoulder into the back of the next. The goal was Thomas’ second of the season.

Samford’s Melissa Montgomery played the first half in goal, while true freshman Jessica Perry came in at the half and logged the final 45 minutes of the contest. Perry, a native of Webster Groves, Mo., registered the Bulldogs’ lone save of the match in the second half.

UAB’s Northern played the entire match in net for the Blazers and finished with a pair of saves.

Samford outshot UAB, 15-11, but the Blazers took two more corner kicks in the match, 4-2.

Samford will next be in action Friday at 5 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs square off against the Toledo Rockets in the opening match of the 2012 Cardinal Classic, which is being hosted by the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky.

 

Wofford 2, Coastal Carolina 1

CONWAY, S.C. – The Wofford women’s soccer team improved to 3-1-0 on the season with a road victory over the Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina (2-3-0) Sunday afternoon. The Terriers were led by junior Maggie Bosley and sophomore Annika Jansson, who each scored their first career goals.

Tied at 1 late, the game appeared to be heading to overtime, but Wofford took the lead in the 85th minute when Maureen Buff assisted on Jansson’s game-winning goal. Buff played a through ball to Jansson, who took one touch before firing the ball with her left foot past CCU keeper Megan Spencer into the bottom right corner of the net.

Wofford controlled the majority of the first half, but fell behind when Camille Christie scored on a 35-yard free kick in the 13th minute. Terrier keeper Erika Christensen misplayed the ball and it bounced off her hands and into the top left corner of the goal.

Wofford would respond and tie the game in the 35th minute when Jansson and Chelsea Turner assisted on Bosley’s goal. Jannson played the ball across the 18-yard box to Turner, who laid the ball off to Bosley, who fired a shot past Spencer into the top corner.

The first half ended with the score 1-1, and Coastal Carolina held the edge in shots (5-3) and corners (1-0). Kara Boggs replaced Christensen in goal for the second half for Wofford. Christensen allowed one goal on five shots faced.

Boggs earned the victory for the Terriers and improved to 1-0-0 on the season. She made one save on five shots faced in 45 minutes of action. Spencer got the loss and fell to 2-3-0 on the year. She made four saves on 10 shots faced.

The Terriers return to action Thursday when they host the Eagles of Winthrop. The match is set to kick off at 6 p.m. at Snyder Field.

 

Appalachian State 3, Longwood 0

BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State defeated Longwood, 3-0, on Sunday at ASU Soccer Stadium as freshman midfielder Kate Ward netted a goal and an assist in her collegiate debut.

The Mountaineers (2-3) dominated the match, outshooting the Lancers (3-2) by a 25-10 margin, including a 9-2 edge in shots on goal.

Ward's goal in the 74th minute gave the Apps a 2-0 lead after she notched an assist on freshman forward Samantha Childress’ goal in the 32nd minute.

Sophomore Julia Holz tagged on a late insurance goal in the 87th minute, as she knocked in a pass from senior defender Taylor Dunlap to make the final 3-0. For Holz, it was her first goal of the season after scoring a team-leading five last season.

Megan Roberson picked up her second career victory by making two saves on the day. The freshman also added her second career shutout, highlighted by a key kick save in the 38th minute to prevent the Lancers from evening the score.

The Apps will be back in action on Friday when they travel to NC State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

 

Furman 2, Presbyterian 0

CLINTON, S.C. – Freshman Stephanie DeVita netted a pair of first-half goals to lead Furman to a 2-0 victory over Presbyterian College in nonconference women’s soccer action Sunday evening at Martin Stadium.

With their third straight win, the Paladins improved to 4-1-0, while the Blue Hose slid to 0-5-0.

Less than 11 minutes into the match, DeVita took a pass on the left side and worked past two defenders across the top of the box before drilling a shot off the underside of the cross bar and into goal to put the Paladins ahead 1-0 at the 10:27 mark. The eventual game-winner marked the fourth in four Paladin victories for the Simpsonville, S.C., native, who has bagged five goals in five collegiate matches.

DeVita doubled the lead in the 34th minute after collecting the ball in the midfield and dribbling nearly 40 yards down the left channel before cracking a shot over the left shoulder of PC goalkeeper Sidney Fontenot at 33:46 to give Furman a 2-0 cushion.

Freshmen Rose Hull and Maggie Grissel combined to notch the shutout in goal with each keeper recording one save in 45 minutes of action. Fontenot turned away 10 Paladin shots in her first career start for the Blue Hose.

Furman dominated the possession for most of the evening and built a 25-5 shots edge, including 12-3 on shots on goal.

The Paladins return to the friendly confines of Stone Soccer Stadium for two matches this week as they host UNC Asheville on Thursday at 7 p.m. before entertaining the Jacksonville Dolphins on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

 

Georgia Southern 0, Jacksonville 0 (2OT)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Georgia Southern’s unbeaten start to the 2012 season continued on Sunday afternoon as the Eagles split a 0-0 draw with Jacksonville. GSU goalkeeper Katie Merson posted her fourth shutout of the season as the Eagles close the third week of the season with a 3-0-2 record.

In the opening 45 minutes, the Eagles withstood a shooting barrage of six shots with Merson making three saves. The GSU offense, conversely, logged three shots with none on target in the opening half. Jacksonville took seven shots in the second half and added two more in the overtime periods.

Stephanie Gratto produced the Eagles’ only two shots on goal in the 105th and 106th minutes, testing the JU goalkeeper for the first time.

Merson finished the afternoon with five saves to pick up her fourth shutout of the season and sixth in the junior’s career at GSU.

The Eagles were tagged for 20 fouls in the match while Jacksonville was whistled for 14 offences.

Southern plays at home twice this week with home matches against South Carolina State on Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. against in-state rival Georgia State.

 

No. 1/2 Florida State 4, College of Charleston 0

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The College of Charleston women’s soccer team fell 4-0 to top-ranked Florida State at the Seminole Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon.

The Cougars played evenly with the Seminoles in the early going and created quality scoring opportunities, but FSU goalkeeper and reigning ACC player of the week Kelsey Wys was up to the challenge.

The Cougar defense did an excellent job of denying the Seminoles quality looks at goal and looked to get into halftime in a scoreless draw. FSU broke though, however, on a corner kick in the 42nd minute that Tiana Brockway sent into the box and Kristin Grubka headed home for the 1-0 lead.

Roughly 10 minutes into the second half, Tiffany McCarty scored a pair of goals separated by just over a minute. The first she scored with a boot from the top of the box and the second she was able to head home on a crossed ball.

Michaela Hahn scored FSU’s final goal late in the match when she was sprung up the middle on a through ball from Nora Kervroedan and scored just as she crossed into the top of the box.

The Seminoles are ranked No. 1 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Top 25 and second in the Soccer America poll.

The Cougars return home to Patriots Point on Friday to square off against the University of South Florida at 7:30 p.m. in their first match of the weekend’s College of Charleston Cup.

 

No. -/14 Louisville 3, UNCG 0

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After a scoreless first half, the UNCG women’s soccer team allowed three second-half goals to BIG EAST foe Louisville to drop a nonconference game 3-0 Sunday afternoon at the UK Soccer Complex.

UNCG played a scoreless first half against Louisville with a couple of opportunities to take the lead early. Freshman Zoe Fishman had a shot on goal in the eighth minute, but Louisville keeper Chloe Kiefer made the save.

In the 31st minute, reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year Christine Exeter got inside the box and fired a shot on goal, but freshman keeper Jamie Simmons made the diving save to keep the game scoreless.

Just before halftime, UNCG made a push toward the goal but couldn’t break the tie heading to the locker room.

Louisville, ranked 14^th in the Soccer America Top 25, broke the tie with a goal in the 65th minute as Erin Yenney scored her second goal of the season, off a header. Yenney found the loose ball and her header just snuck over the outstretched arms of Simmons.

Nine minutes later, the Cardinals added another goal when Irene Young chipped one into the net for her first score of the season.

In the 76th minute, the Spartans had an opportunity to close the gap when junior defender Lauren Lover crossed a ball inside the box that found freshman Chesney White, who put a header on goal that went off the crossbar.

Louisville scored its third goal in the 83rd minute when Casey Whitfield beat Simmons from six yards out.

Simmons finished with five saves against the Cardinals and a spot on the UK Tropical Smoothie All-Tournament team along with teammate senior defender Stephanie Partenheimer.

UNCG returns home to face backyard rival High Point next Sunday at 2 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.

 

Austin Peay 4, Chattanooga 1

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s soccer team fell 4-1 to Austin Peay in a nonconference road match Sunday afternoon. The Mocs fell to 1-3-1 overall while the Lady Govs evened their record at 3-3-0.

After spotting Austin Peay an Andy Quiceno goal at the 5:15 mark of the game, Chattanooga senior Becca Smith knotted it up at 1-1 less than a minute later off of a corner kick by freshman Hannah Wyatt.

The Lady Govs would get one more goal in the opening period to take the lead for good and added two more in the second half.

APSU’s Tatiana Ariza had two goals for the home team, including the go-ahead strike in the 28^th minute, while Emily Perkins scored in the 56^th minute.

Austin Peay outshot the Mocs 25-9 with each team taking nine corner kicks. Freshman keeper Lauren Thomas had four saves on the day with three in the second half. Wyatt and Smith led UTC with two shots apiece with one on-goal each.

Smith now has 78 career points, tying former teammate Donna-Kay Henry, and needs two assists to tie Henry for third on the all-time chart.

Chattanooga remains on the road next weekend with a trip to Gardner-Webb on Friday.

 

UNCW 3, Davidson 2

WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNCW’s Stephanie Rose led a three-goal charge with a goal and two assists during the spurt as Davidson was unable to overcome the rally after taking the early advantage, falling 3-2 on Sunday afternoon in women’s soccer action at the UNCW Soccer Stadium.

The Wildcats (1-3-0) were not fazed to start the game after a two-hour weather delay, as they struck first. Sophomore Stephanie Piperno collected a loose ball at the top of the box and fired a shot that deflected off a UNCW defender and into the goal for the game's first tally. It was Piperno’s first goal of the season and seventh of her career.

The lead lasted until the 36th minute when UNCW (2-2-1) started a three-goal rally, sparked by Rose. The forward setup Morgan Leyble’s goal with a pass inside the box to Leyble, who buried a shot into the lower left-hand corner of the net.

After the halftime break, Rose broke up the 1-all tie with a strike at the 56:59 mark in the second half. She helped finish off the three-goal spurt when she and Stephanie Bronson assisted on Amanda Holmes’ goal less than three minutes later.

Davidson did not back down. Tori Krause helped keep things close when she knocked home a loose ball on a goalmouth scramble for her second strike of the season at the 68:38 mark.

The Wildcats had one last good chance to tie the game in the final minutes, but freshman Sarah Tuggle’s shot attempt on a breakaway opportunity went just wide of the goal.

Renae Cairns got her second start in net and registered three saves before being replaced in the 65th minute by Rachel Locke, who finished with two stops of her own.

Shots and corner kicks were fairly even, with UNCW holding slight advantages in each category at 16-15 (shots) and 6-5 (corners).

The Wildcats return home next weekend for a pair of contests at Alumni Stadium. They will take on ACC foe Clemson Friday at 7 p.m. and close the weekend out with a 2 p.m. contest against North Florida.

 

NC State 3, Elon 0

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Elon University women’s soccer team could not recover from two early second-half goals by the NC State Wolfpack, as the Phoenix dropped a 3-0 decision on Sunday afternoon at Dail Soccer Field.

The Wolfpack knocked in an early goal to take a 1-0 lead after Jennie Krauser banged one in off the crossbar and into the back of the net from 25 yards out in the eighth minute.

Elon just missed a chance to tie it in the 17th minute after a Simi Dhaliwal cross to a streaking Chelsey Stark missed just wide in front of the NC State goal.

The Wolfpack took a one-goal lead into the locker room at intermission after striking 12 shots (three on-goal) in the opening frame and limiting the Phoenix to one.

NC State took a 2-0 lead in the 49th minute after Rachel Harris headed in a cross from Cheyenne Spade. Just 10 minutes later, the Wolfpack went up 3-0 after a goal by Sharon Wojcik.

Raychel Diver nearly pulled the Phoenix within two goals with less than five minutes remaining, but NC State goalie Victoria Hopkins made the save.

Elon returns to action next week in Wilmington, N.C., for the UNCW Courtyard Marriott Wilmington Invitational. The Phoenix takes on Troy on Friday before facing Campbell on Sunday.