Appalachian State 9, The Citadel 3
CHARLESTON, S.C. – After going 220 minutes last weekend without a goal, the Appalachian State University women’s soccer team exploded for nine on Friday afternoon at The Citadel to win convincingly, 9-3.
The Mountaineers’ nine goals were their most in a game since scoring 11 on Oct. 17, 2000, in an 11-0 rout of South Carolina State. The nine goals for Appalachian State (7-5-4, 4-1-3) were the second-most goals scored in a game in the program’s 20-year history.
Samantha Childress, Merlin Beckwith and Jenna Caudle each scored two goals for the Mountaineers.
Beckwith put the first score of the game in the back of the net on an assist from Jane Cline in the 10th minute of the game. The goal was Beckwith’s second goal of the season. Shortly thereafter, in the 13th minute, Julia Holz would strike on her seventh goal of the season on the second assist of the game for Cline. Holz’s seventh goal of the year put her at 20 in her career and tied her for fourth place all-time in career goals in program history.
In the 16th minute, Childress would unload on her ninth of the season with the third assist of the year credited to Sam Neill. Then in the 22nd minute, Caudle connected on her first goal of the season on an unassisted breakaway to beat Naomi Carter to extend App’s lead to 4-0.
Carter got the start for The Citadel and made seven saves, allowing seven goals, before being relieved by Sam Millspaugh, who would make two saves and allow two goals in her 23 minutes of work.
The Citadel (5-9-2, 3-6-0) would score its first goal when Ana Mesa put one past Megan Roberson in the 24th minute of the game. Roberson received the start for Sarah Strickland’s squad and made four saves, allowing two goals in 60 minutes of work. Amy Kolowsky came on and played the last 30 minutes for the Mountaineers and made one save, allowing one goal.
In the 35th minute, Caudle would connect on her second goal of the game and of the season with an assist from Jamie Lockie to give Appalachian a 5-1 advantage heading into halftime.
Childress would blast her 10th goal of the season in the 52nd minute of the game with an assist from Holz.
Twenty seconds after the Childress goal, Beckwith netted her second goal of the game and third of the season on the second assist of the game from Neill.
Lea Raedle scored Bulldogs’ second goal in the 60th minute off of an assist from Ilana Green. The Mountaineers answered that goal in the 74th minute, when Kate Ward scored her first goal of the season, with an assist from Grace McCall.
The Citadel got its third and final goal of the game in the 77th minute, when Montana Hinson scored unassisted to make it 8-3 in favor of the Mountaineers.
With 30 seconds left in the game, Amy Werdine put away her first goal of the game on the second assist of the game by McCall.
The Mountaineers outshot the Bulldogs 24-15 in the game. Of the 24 shots, Appalachian State put 18 on target in the match. The Citadel took seven corners to Appalachian’s three.
App is back in action on Sunday when it travels to Florence, S.C., for a nonconference match at Francis Marion. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
The Citadel must now earn a win or a tie against Western Carolina at home on Sunday in order to keep its SoCon playoff hopes alive. The Bulldogs have nine points in the league standings and trail Davidson and Georgia Southern by one point for the eighth and final spot in the tournament field.
The Bulldogs (5-9-2, 3-6 SoCon) are seeking their first berth in the SoCon tournament since 2010.
Furman 2, Georgia Southern 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Freshman Carlie Couch and sophomore Stephanie DeVita each tallied a goal and Furman’s defense notched its third consecutive shutout as the Paladins topped Georgia Southern, 2-0, in Southern Conference women’s soccer action Friday night on Seagraves Field at Stone Soccer Stadium.
The win improved the Paladins to 12-3-2 overall and 6-1-1 in SoCon play. Furman (19 pts.) continues to lead second-place Elon (5-1-2, 17 pts.) by two points, with Appalachian State (4-1-4, 16 pts.) holding third place. Georgia Southern slipped to 5-9-2 overall and 3-4-1 in league play.
The Eagles’ Molly Williams and the GSU crossbar proved to be the stars for much of the first half. Williams, who totaled 11 saves on the night, made several diving stops on DeVita shots in the early going and was saved by the woodwork when Hannah Stanifer’s header bounced off of the ground and rattled off of the crossbar before being cleared from danger midway through the first period.
Furman finally found the go-ahead goal from a set piece in the 44th minute. India Robinson served a corner kick to the penalty spot that was headed forward by Alyssa Althoff. Couch, standing near the top of the 6-yard box, headed the pass inside the far left post for her eighth tally of the season at the 43:57 mark.
Georgia Southern tried to answer quickly before half, but Abria Allen’s shot from eight yards missed wide and the Paladins cleared Nora El-Shami’s last second corner kick.
The crossbar continued to play a role through the first 30 minutes of the second period as DeVita hit the bar and a Robinson corner kick caromed off of the woodwork. Williams also kept the Eagles alive by turning away a low, driving shot from Jamie Alexander from the top of the box.
In the 75th minute, a set piece helped Furman double the lead and take control. Robinson played an in-swinging corner kick from the left side to the back post, where DeVita headed home her 11th tally of the season and 30th career goal at the 74:35 mark. The assist, Robinson’s second of the night, upped her NCAA Division I-leading total to 15 assists this season.
Rose Hull earned her fourth shutout of the season and upped her record to 8-1-1 between the pipes while making three saves.
Furman compiled a 23-8 advantage in total shots and 13-3 edge in shots on goal.
The victory improved the Paladins to 18-0-1 in its final 19 matches versus Georgia Southern as SoCon foes. The Eagles are leaving the league for the Sun Belt Conference in 2014. Furman also improved to 6-0 at home this season and 18-1-2 in its last 21 matches at Seagraves Field.
The Paladins continue their homestand on Sunday when they host the Davidson Wildcats. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. and Furman will honor its five seniors prior to the match.
Georgia Southern wraps up the weekend at Wofford on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Elon 3, Chattanooga 0
ELON, N.C. – Nicole Dennion’s hat trick was all the Elon University women’s soccer team needed on Friday night, as the Phoenix claimed a 3-0 decision versus the visiting Chattanooga Mocs at Rudd Field.
Dennion’s 13 goals are the most in a single season in Elon history since making the transition to the Division I ranks. The 13-goal mark ties Kam Radford for 10th all-time in program history.
Elon improved to 11-2-4 (5-1-2 Southern Conference) with the win to remain unbeaten at home this season. The win marked Elon’s fourth straight.
Dennion, who now leads the SoCon in goals (13) and points (31), put two early scores in the back of the net in the first half to give the Phoenix a 2-0 lead. Dennion broke loose along the left side in the 11th minute for the score to give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead. In the 14th minute, Dennion headed in an Olivia Mackey pop up over UTC keeper Taylor Mangrum to give the maroon and gold a 2-0 lead.
Elon outshot the Mocs 12-1 in the opening frame, putting seven strikes on frame.
Dennion completed the hat trick in the 57th minute on a pass from Marrisa Russo to put the Phoenix ahead, 3-0. Dennion took Russo’s pass near the right post and struck it into the back of the net for the goal.
Elon ended the match with a 25-4 advantage in shots, putting 15 total strikes on target.
Sydney Branson played all 90 minutes between the posts to earn the shutout. Branson finished with two saves.
Mangrum had 12 in the losing effort.
Elon returns to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. versus Samford for Senior Day. Chattanooga finishes the weekend at UNCG on Sunday at 2 p.m.
UNCG 3, Samford 0
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior midfielder Katie Durst scored two goals to help UNCG knock off Samford, 3-0, Friday night during Homecoming at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.
With the victory, UNCG improved to 9-6-2, 4-2-2 in the Southern Conference, vaulting from sixth place to fourth. The Bulldogs fell to 11-5-1, 4-3-1 in the SoCon. The Spartans are just three points behind second-place Elon and two points behind Appalachian State for third.
The Spartans struck first in the 12th minute after Durst collected a flick from teammate Chesney White and put home her first-ever collegiate goal. The play started with a pretty cross from junior Ashley Stokes that found White.
The Blue and Gold would control the run of play into the half, leading 1-0. UNCG took five shots in the first half to Samford’s seven.
In the second half, UNCG would increase its lead to 2-0 after Durst scored again in the 60th minute. Freshman Katelyn Mountjoy placed a perfect corner kick to the back post, where Durst headed home her second goal of the game.
UNCG would add an insurance tally in the 66th minute, when Samford goalkeeper Dale Steinagle couldn’t control a shot off her hands, leading to an easy tap-in for Stokes, her fourth goal of the season.
Sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Simmons picked up her eighth shutout of the season, making six saves along the way. Simmons made a key save with just under 25 minutes left in the game, stopping freshman standout Malcanisha Kelley on a breakaway just outside the goal.
UNCG finished with nine shots and seven corner kicks. The Spartans return to face Chattanooga on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.
Samford will next be in action Sunday at 2 p.m. as the Bulldogs continue their arduous SoCon road trip against the Elon Phoenix at Rudd Field.
Western Carolina 4, Francis Marion 2
FLORENCE, S.C. – Western Carolina sophomore forward Kelly Pannell scored a pair of goals as the Catamounts (8-8-1) defeated Francis Marion 4-2 Friday at Hartzler Field.
Pannell tallied the first two goals of the game, marking the second time this season she has scored a pair of goals in a contest. She also had two goals in the 2-0 win over Western Kentucky on Sept. 13. Pannell now has seven goals for the season.
Eight minutes into the game, Pannell scored from 18 yards out from an assist by redshirt junior Brittany Gendron and junior Caitlyn Bradham. At the 21:37 mark, Pannell struck again, as she sat back from the end line for a 6-yard shot thanks to a pass from fellow sophomore Markie-Lynn Studnicky.
Francis Marion (1-16) cut the Catamount lead in half just before the half. The Patriots’ Britteny Smith took a header shot, off a corner kick from Sandy Odembo, into the left side of the net at 30:40.
After an assist in the first half, Bradham scored a goal of her own at 50:03. Kimberly Sullivan sent a long pass to Bradham, who dribbled to the box for the shot and goal.
Studnicky would also add a goal to her assist when she took a pass from sophomore Amanda Schwartz and sent a 12-yard kick past Patriots goalkeeper Taylor O’Berry.
Seven minutes after Western Carolina’s fourth goal of the game, Francis Marion scored its second. The Patriots’ Chanel Harris scored off of another corner kick from Odembo.
Western Carolina had 18 shots in the game and Francis Marion had 11.
Western Carolina heads back into Southern Conference play Sunday at The Citadel. Game time is set for 2 p.m.
Davidson 0, Wofford 0 (2OT)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford and Davidson played to a scoreless draw at Snyder Field on Friday in Southern Conference women’s soccer action.
Wofford moved to 7-3-5 overall and 3-1-4 in the Southern Conference and is now unbeaten in its last six games (2-0-4). Davidson, which moved to 5-9-4 overall and 3-4-1 in league play, ran its record to 7-0-4 in the last 11 meetings vs. the Terriers. The Wildcats are now 15-3-4 all-time in the series.
The Terriers created the first chance of the match in the second minute, when senior forward Emily Bougas shot a bouncing ball inside the 18 that hit the top of the crossbar and over the goal.
Davidson responded with a chance of its own when Dani Johnson had a shot saved by Wofford’s senior goalkeeper, Kimberly Cohn, in the fourth minute.
The teams would trade shots back and forth for the next couple of minutes, until the Wildcats created a good chance in the 30th minute, when Becca Fisher had a chance saved by Cohn.
In the second half, Davidson would create the first chance when Sarah Tuggle had a shot from the right side of the 18-yard box hit the post in the 48th minute.
The Wildcats would follow up with another chance in the 50th minute by Stephanie Piperno that was saved by Cohn.
The Terriers would then create a good chance on a corner kick in the 64th minute, when senior defender Maggie Bosley found sophomore defender Katherine Whisenhunt, but her header missed just wide left of the goal.
Wofford would then have another opportunity on a header from senior midfielder Alex Kachulis off a cross that was saved by Wildcat goalkeeper Rachel Locke in the 69th minute.
Sophomore forward Chloe Brackett would test Locke in the 83rd minute, but her attempt was also saved by the Davidson goalkeeper.
The Wildcats would get one more chance at the end of regulation to take the lead in the 88th minute, but Piperno had her shot hit the crossbar.
In the first overtime period, Brackett would create Wofford’s only chance of the period, but her shot was saved by Locke in the 92nd minute.
Davidson would respond with an opportunity of its own, but Cohn made a huge save on Julia Singley’s shot to keep the game scoreless at the end of the first overtime.
In the second overtime, Wofford would get a final chance to seal the win in the 102nd minute, but Brackett’s shot was saved by Locke, giving each team a point with the 0-0 tie.
For the match, Wofford and Davidson were tied in the shot count 14-14, but the Terriers won the corner battle 8-5.
In goal for Wofford, Cohn earned her eighth shutout of the season, tied for first in the Southern Conference. She faced 14 Wildcat shots and made four saves. For Davidson, Locke faced 14 Terrier shots and made five saves to preserve the shutout.
The Wofford women’s soccer team returns to action on Sunday, when it hosts Georgia Southern at Snyder Field for Senior Day. Wofford will honor the careers seniors Bosley, Bougas, Cohn, Kachulis and Evie Kytan for their outstanding contributions to the women’s soccer program. The match will kick off at 2 p.m.
Davidson travels to Furman on Sunday to finish out the weekend for a 2 p.m. contest.