Furman 3, UNCG 0
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Sophomore Jamie Alexander scored a pair of goals as the Furman women’s soccer team downed UNCG 3-0 on Friday night to extend its winning streak to seven matches and its unbeaten run to 10 contests.
The shutout improved the Paladins to 10-2-1 overall on the season and a perfect 4-0 in Southern Conference play. The Spartans fell to 7-5-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the league.
Just 1:42 into the match, freshman Carlie Couch used her speed to pressure UNCG’s back line before playing a pass to Alexander, who finished to the bottom corner to give the Paladins a 1-0 lead.
Less than 12 minutes into the second half, sophomore Stephanie DeVita doubled the Furman lead with her SoCon-leading 10th goal of the season. The Simpsonville, S.C., native beat her defender and finished a one-on-one chance against UNCG goalkeeper Jamie Simmons at the 56:58 mark. The goal marked DeVita’s 29th tally in 35 career matches for the Paladins.
Alexander ended any hopes of a Spartan comeback with her second goal of the night and fifth of the year at the 63:20 mark. Couch fired a shot that was deflected into the path of Alexander, who tapped the ball into an empty net.
Furman grabbed the momentum from the outset with Alexander’s first goal and went on to outshoot the Spartans 15-12 overall. UNCG pushed numbers forward in the second half in an attempt to rally and managed to rattle the Furman crossbar twice, but the Paladins finished with a 9-1 edge in shots on goal.
Sophomore Rose Hull collected one save in more than 72 minutes of action in goal to earn the victory for Furman and share the shutout with Maggie Grisell. Simmons totaled six saves for UNCG.
With the 3-0 triumph, Furman has now outscored its four SoCon foes by a combined total of 21-1. Couch has tallied three goals and four assists in four SoCon games, while Alexander has netted four goals.
Furman continues its road trip at 2 p.m. on Sunday when it travels to face the Elon Phoenix.
UNCG will face Wofford in Spartanburg, S.C., on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Samford 2, Western Carolina 1 (OT)
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – In a hard-fought Southern Conference showdown held at the Catamount Athletic Complex on Friday, the Samford University soccer team earned a 2-1 overtime triumph against Western Carolina as the Catamounts’ Tara Budnick accidentally kicked the Bulldogs’ game-winning goal into her own net in the sixth minute of overtime.
The goal was originally awarded to Samford’s Amanda Abbott, who was battling with Budnick for the ball near Western Carolina’s back line. During the melee, Budnick twisted, whirled and connected with the ball, sending it over the head of goalkeeper Carly Tintsman and into the back of the net for the game-winning goal.
With the win, Samford (9-3-1, 3-1-1 SoCon) moved to 4-1-1 all-time against Western Carolina (6-6-1, 1-4 SoCon) and improved to 3-3 in road matches this season.
Samford’s opening goal of the match was tallied by true freshman Malcanisha Kelley in the 76th minute of play. Kelley’s score was notched in Western Carolina’s 18-yard box after a loose ball and an ensuing scramble for possession. Kelley won the battle for the ball and rifled home her fourth goal of the year.
The Catamounts connected on a late goal to equalize the match at 1-1 with just 2:35 remaining in regulation. Western Carolina’s score was registered by Casey Cooke and assisted by Caitlyn Bradham in the 88th minute.
Cooke’s match-tying goal came from approximately 15 yards out and was neatly placed into the far right side of the net. The score was her second of the 2013 campaign.
Samford outshot the Catamounts, 9-5, and handily won the corner kick battle, 8-2. The Bulldogs’ defense played brilliantly throughout the match as goalkeeper Melissa Montgomery only faced a single shot on goal. Western Carolina’s Jenny Lauer started the contest in goal and made a pair of saves, while Tintsman didn’t register any stops in the final 50:33 of action.
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 1 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs conclude their three-match road stretch against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at the ASU Soccer Stadium (1,000) in Boone, N.C.
Western Carolina travels to Chattanooga on Sunday. The contest with the Mocs is set for 2 p.m.
Appalachian State 5, Chattanooga 0
BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State exploded for five goals on Friday evening in a 5-0 rout of Chattanooga from Appalachian Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers (6-4-2, 3-0-2) remain unbeaten in Southern Conference play with five games played. Appalachian State was able to get the scoring started in the 12th minute of the game, when Merlin Beckwith sent a ball into the box off of a free kick that was flicked on by Jane Cline to the feet of Julia Holz. From there, Holz was able to gather and strike first for her sixth goal of the season.
Four minutes later, Beckwith found Sam Neill coming in from the top of the box to fire a rocket past Taylor Mangrum to give the Apps a 2-0 lead early on.
The Mountaineers would take the 2-0 advantage into the locker room at halftime, holding an 8-6 lead in shots.
One minute into the second half, Appalachian State would add to its lead. A great cross from Holz found Sam Childress, who was able to connect on her seventh goal of the season and extend the lead to 3-0.
Four minutes after the third goal, Beckwith would pick up her third assist of the night. A beauty of a cross was sent into the box and Cline was able to put her head on it for her fourth goal of the season. The goal gave Appalachian a 4-0 advantage.
In the 85th minute, the Mountaineers would score their fifth and final goal of the game. Jenni Loveless took a corner kick and Jamie Lockie got her foot on it for a 5-0 lead for the Mountaineers.
Megan Roberson (5-3-2) received the start for the Mountaineers and made two saves in the first half. Amy Kolowsky played in the second half making one save. As a team, the Mountaineers made two key team saves to prevent Chattanooga goals.
Appalachian outshot Chattanooga 18-8 on the night with 13 of those shots being on target.
Four Chattanooga players tallied two shots each, with sophomore Melanie Arredondo seeing one glance off the crossbar. Sophomore Loryn Queen got past Appalachian State's keeper but the shot was cleared off the line by the Mountaineer defense.
Senior Chattanooga keeper Taylor Mangrum made four saves while giving up four goals in 50:33. Sophomore Lauren Thomas made four saves, as well, in her 39:27, while allowing just one goal on the night.
The Mountaineers return to action on Sunday when they host Samford. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. from Appalachian Soccer Stadium.
Chattanooga returns to action Sunday at home when it hosts Western Carolina. The game is set to kick off at 2 p.m.
Elon 1, Wofford 1 (2OT)
ELON, N.C. – Nicole Dennion scored her ninth goal of the season to help the Elon University women’s soccer team to a 1-1 draw against Wofford on Friday night at Rudd Field.
Dennion headed in a great pass from Jennifer McGorty in the 19th minute of the match near the right post to give the Phoenix an early 1-0 lead. Dennion is one goal behind Furman’s Stephanie DeVita for the most in the Southern Conference.
But the Terriers hit the equalizer in the 37th minute on a Mary Beth Bleekrode score off a corner and previous deflection off the crossbar to tie it, 1-all.
The two squads had several chances to score the go-ahead goal, but solid net-minding from Phoenix keeper Kate Murphy and Wofford keeper Kimberly Cohn halted any chance of a tiebreaker.
Elon finished the match with a 15-12 advantage in shots, putting 12 on target to Wofford’s six. The Phoenix also claimed a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Wofford nearly took an early lead in the 17th minute, but Murphy made a great diving save to her right to keep the match scoreless. Murphy finished with five saves.
McGorty nearly gave Elon a one-goal lead in the 50th minute, but Wofford’s Cohn made an excellent diving save to knock the ball out of play. Cohn ended the match with 11 saves.
Elon moved to 7-2-4 (1-1-2 SoCon) with the draw and remained unbeaten at home. Wofford moved to 6-3-2 (2-1-1 SoCon) following the tie.
The Phoenix returns to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. against first-place Furman. Wofford hosts UNCG on Sunday at 2 p.m.