Furman 4, Mississippi State 0
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Junior India Robinson recorded three assists and sophomore Stephanie DeVita netted two goals as the Furman women’s soccer team exploded for four second-half goals in a 4-0 rout of Mississippi State at the Bulldog Classic on Friday night.
The win improved the Paladins to 3-2-0 on the season, while Mississippi State fell to 2-4-0.
Furman built a 13-5 edge on shots in the opening 45 minutes and hit both the post and crossbar before settling for a 0-0 scoreline at intermission. DeVita finally put the Paladins in front in the 56th minute as she ran onto a Robinson pass down the left side, rounded a Bulldog defender and fired a shot that beat MSU goalkeeper CJ Winship at the near post.
The reigning SoCon Player of the Year doubled the Paladin lead in the 70th minute with her second goal of the night. Robinson lofted a cross into the box and DeVita collected the pass before lining a low shot inside the far post at 69:18.
Less than two minutes later, junior Alyssa Althoff rose to meet a Robinson corner kick and headed past Winship to increase the Furman advantage to 3-0 at the 71:06 mark. Freshman Delaney Sheehan capped the second-half outburst with six seconds remaining as she burst past the Bulldog back line to meet an Ali Simpson pass and finished to the corner to give Furman the 4-0 victory.
The Paladins finished with a 23-17 edge in shots, while both teams recorded nine shots on goal. Sophomore Rose Hull stopped three first-half shots before fellow sophomore Maggie Grisell came off the bench to stop six shots in the second half and earn the victory for Furman. Winship turned away five shots for the Bulldogs.
The win marked the Paladins; first triumph over a Southeastern Conference opponent since blanking Alabama 3-0 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., during the 2010 season.
Furman returns to action at the Bulldog Classic on Sunday morning when it faces the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. ET.
Samford 3, Vanderbilt 2 (2OT)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University soccer team’s historic 2013 campaign continued to sizzle Friday as the Bulldogs earned a thrilling 3-2, double-overtime victory against the Vanderbilt Commodores in an epic nonconference match held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
With the victory, Samford (4-2) earned its first win against Vanderbilt (2-3-2) and improved to a perfect 3-0 against the Southeastern Conference this season. Earlier this fall, the Bulldogs registered back-to-back 1-0 shutout wins over Tennessee and Auburn.
Samford has now won four consecutive matches against SEC opponents. Last season, the Bulldogs posted a 3-1 triumph over Kentucky in the championship game of the 2012 Louisville Classic.
On Friday, Samford’s Michelle Moll scored the game-winning goal in the eighth minute of the final overtime period. The golden goal proved to be her first of the season and occurred off a free kick from the left side just outside of the box.
On the score, Moll fired a low line drive deep into the Commodores’ back line. The ball nicked a defender and neatly found the left corner of the goal. Samford’s victory Friday was played in front of a season-high 1,180 raucous fans.
Samford outshot the Commodores, 22-19, Friday and received a pair of clutch goals from senior midfielder Trine Taule.
The Bulldogs’ 5-foot-6 native of Frekhaug, Norway, gave her squad an early 1-0 lead in the 25th minute of the play and later tallied her second goal of the opening half in the 43rd minute. Taule’s first goal occurred on a penalty kick after Vanderbilt was penalized for a handball in the box.
Taule knocked home the penalty kick in the bottom left corner of the goal.
Her second goal of the evening came after a scrum deep in the Commodores’ box. The ball was deflected out to Molly Pittman on the right side and she sent a quick touch up to Taule, where the Bulldogs’ leader fired a shot past the Vanderbilt goalkeeper.
Vanderbilt equalized the match at 1-1 in the 34th minute when Claire Romaine gathered a deflected shot attempt from teammate Simone Charley and found the back of the net. The goal was Romaine’s third of the young 2013 campaign.
At halftime, Samford held a 2-1 lead following Taule’s key goal just 2 ½ minutes before the intermission.
Midway through the second period, Vanderbilt scored its final goal of the evening when Cheyna Williams connected on her team-high seventh score of the season. The Commodores’ speedy forward from Hampton, Ga., collected the ball in Samford’s box, turned and fired a shot from 12 yards out.
Heading into the match, Vanderbilt had scored 15 goals in just six contests this year. Samford’s defense played extremely well Friday and limited the Commodores below their season average.
The Bulldogs’ true freshman goalkeeper Katie Peters tallied seven huge saves Friday and faced 19 shot attempts from Vanderbilt.
With the win, Samford knocked off its sixth SEC opponent in school history. The Bulldogs’ list of conquests also includes Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Tennessee.
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Tuesday as the Bulldogs travel to Kennesaw State for a tough road test slated to begin at 6 p.m. (CDT).
Western Carolina 2, Western Kentucky 0
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Sophomore forward Kelly Pannell scored two first-half goals to pace Western Carolina (4-2) to a 2-0 shutout over Western Kentucky (1-3-2) Friday at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
After scoring the first goal of her career against East Carolina on Sept. 2, Pannell doubled her output in one match with the pair of goals against the Hilltoppers. She now leads the team with three goals this season.
Fans barely had a chance to settle in for the match before Pannell and the Catamounts found the back of the net. At the 5:41 mark, sophomore forward Markie-Lynn Studnicky had a throw-in on the right side and Pannell was there. At about 5 yards out, Pannell took the ball and sent it past the goalie on the right side of the net.
Pannell took advantage of a scrum and a fortuitous placement of the ball for her second goal of the match. Junior Caitlyn Bradham had a shot on goal, right in front of the box. Western Kentucky goalie Nora Abolins got the save, but the ball bounced off her hands. Pannell noted the fumble by Abolins and squeezed it past the Hilltopper goalkeeper for the score at the 8:12 mark. It was Pannell’s first unassisted goal of her career.
It was a high-shooting affair in the first half with both teams combining for 17 shots in the first 45 minutes. Western Kentucky logged 10 shots and Western Carolina seven. In the second half, each team had just three shots apiece.
Western Kentucky edged the Catamounts in shots 13-10 with a combined four saves for the Western Carolina goalies Jenny Lauer and Carly Tinstman. Each WCU keeper played a half, but it was Lauer who got the win, improving to 4-0 on the season.
The majority of WKU’s shots, and even the shots on goal, were lined right at the WCU goalie or shot wide over the net. None of the Hilltoppers’ shots were in danger of hitting the back of the net all game.
Western Carolina will host future Southern Conference member East Tennessee State at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Buccaneers are coming off a shutout of their own, blanking Alabama A&M 7-0 Friday evening. ETSU is 1-3 in road games this season.
Longwood 4, Elon 3
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Despite erasing a three-goal deficit in the second half, the Elon University women’s soccer dropped a 4-3 decision to the Longwood Lancers on Friday, day one of the UNCW Courtyard Marriott Wilmington Invitational.
After falling behind 3-0, the Phoenix scored three straight goals, capped off by a Nicole Dennion strike in the 85th minute, to tie the match at 3-all.
But seconds later, Longwood’s Amanda Specner completed her hat trick and gave the Lancers a 4-3 lead, one it would not relinquish in the final minutes.
Elon dropped to 3-1-1 on the year, while Longwood improved to 1-3-2.
Spencer gave the Lancers a 1-0 advantage in the 15th minute after she stole the ball off the foot of Phoenix keeper Kate Murphy and cut back to the middle of the pitch for the goal. Longwood extended its lead to 2-0 in the 40th minute after an Alana Mackey score near the top of the penalty area.
Following another Spencer goal for Longwood in the 57th minute, Jennifer McGorty made it a 3-1 game after scoring on a cross from the left side by Chelsey Stark.
Rachel Hallman pulled the Phoenix within a goal in the 75th minute after knocking in a header off a Bethany Houpt corner kick to make it a 3-2 match.
But Elon’s furious comeback fell just short late, as Longwood managed to match every Phoenix score.
Elon finished the match with a 17-15 edge in shots and an 8-5 advantage in corners.
Elon returns to action at the UNCW Courtyard Marriott Invitational on Sunday at noon against Texas A&M – Corpus Christi.
Jacksonville 2, Georgia Southern 1
STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern had things under control for the first 80 minutes, but a pair of late goals gave Jacksonville a 2-1 win at Eagle Field on Friday night. The Eagles surrendered goals in the 84th and 86th minutes to fall to 1-4-0 on the season.
Next up is a home match against Charleston Southern on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Cori Dulmage put the Eagles up 1-0 just six minutes after the halftime break with a rocket shot from 23 yards. Lindsay Hammer hit a long, probing ball to the JU defender which was misplayed on a hard first touch. Dulmage was on hand to strike the ball first touch into the top right corner of the net.
Jacksonville leveled the match at 1-1in the 84th minute when the visitors made the most of an attack from the flank. Sarah Moghadas served the ball at the back post to Kaitlyn Bassett, who dished a centering pass at the penalty spot to Jessica Cataldo-Ramirez, who scored past goalkeeper Heather Kirkover.
The Dolphins needed less than two minutes to produce the game-winning goal from Moghadas. Mary Sturgis played the forward through on goal, allowing Moghadas to run nearly 40 yards with the ball and score 1v1 with the Eagle goalkeeper.
Jacksonville produced 11 second-half shots to score the late goals and hold a 16-13 advantage in shooting. Kirkover made seven saves on the night, one off a career best, set earlier this season against Indiana.
Dulmage led the Eagles with six shots while Alex Murphy and Jennifer Wittick produced two shots each.
Winthrop 2, Davidson 1
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop’s Krystyna Freda kicked in her team-leading seventh goal to break up a 1-1 tie in the second half and Davidson was denied its first win of the season, falling 2-1 Friday evening at Eagle Field in women’s soccer nonconference play.
Davidson fell to 0-4-3 on the season and saw the Eagles, who improved to 4-1 in 2013, win their first game in the all-time series (3-1-1 in favor of the Wildcats).
Freda chipped a 5-yard shot into the back off the net at the 68:45 mark off a cross from Grace Radler, who received a through ball from Macey Bosley to set up the play.
The Wildcats took four shots over the next 20 minutes trying to tie things up again, but twice were stopped by goalkeeper Amelia Henderson in falling for the third straight game.
Down 1-0 in the early stages of the second half, sophomore Dani Johnson scored her second career goal, and Davidson’s first of the year, when she knocked in a penalty kick at the 55:43 mark.
Johnson’s score followed a quick Eagle goal 33 seconds into the start of the second half after both teams played to a scoreless first half. Winthrop’s Taylor Coleman hit a shot from about 25 yards out to the upper left corner of the goal for her third score of the year.
Davidson fired off 13 shots, putting eight of those on goal. Sarah Tuggle had a team-high five shots on the night and four of them went on target. The Wildcats had a 5-4 edge on corner kicks.
Rachel Locke finished the evening with four saves in goal, while Winthrop’s Henderson came up with seven saves.
The ‘Cats return home for a 2 p.m. contest Sunday against James Madison. The two teams have not faced each other since 1991.
Gardner-Webb 3, Chattanooga 0
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s soccer team fell 3-0 to Gardner-Webb on Friday evening in the twilight game on the opening day of the Under Armour Border Classic at Greene Harbison Field.
The Mocs were without senior backs Andria Aurand and Kelly Crew, who are out with injuries. Senior Taylor Mangrum played all 90 minutes in goal for Chattanooga and had six saves on the night.
Gardner-Webb scored twice in the first half, beginning with Tori James, who scored her first goal of the season with a header off a corner kick in the 22nd minute. Shelby Hooe, who assisted on the first goal, connected on the Bulldogs’ next two, giving GWU a 2-0 lead on a shot from the top of the box into the top right of the goal assisted by Brandi Arey at the 37:41 mark of the game.
Hooe scored Gardner-Webb’s third goal of the game and her fifth of the year late in the second half on a free kick from Brooke Kelly, who played a shot into the box that was picked up by Hooe and sent into the net on the left side.
Chattanooga was outshot 19-11, with the Bulldogs holding a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal. Hooe had a game-high five shots, connecting on two for goals and assisting on GWU’s other goal. Justine Ibarra took four shots, while four others had two shots each.
Chattanooga was led in shots by sophomore Hannah Wyatt’s three, with two on goal. Freshman Hailey Callis had two shots, while sophomore Logan Higgins and freshman Monica Speth each had one shot on goal.
The Mocs return to action Sunday against South Carolina State at 1 p.m. to wrap up the Border Classic.
Presbyterian 2, The Citadel 1 (2OT)
CLINTON, S.C. – Tori Lopez converted a penalty kick in the second overtime period to give Presbyterian a 2-1 victory over The Citadel in a women's soccer contest Friday.
The loss snapped The Citadel's three-match unbeaten streak and dropped the Bulldogs to 2-3-1 on the year, while the Blue Hose won their second straight to even their mark at 2-2. The Citadel was attempting to raise its record above the .500 mark for the first time this season.
After a scoreless 10-minute first overtime, Grace Raines was called for a handball in the box to set up the game-winning penalty kick at the 103:19 mark.
Mariana Garcia took a pass from Lea Raedle and put the ball in the lower right corner of the net to tie the game at 1 with nine minutes remaining in the first half. The goal was Garcia's sixth of the season and 37th of her career, extending her school record. Raedle was credited with her second assist of the year and also had a game-high four shots on the night.
Sara Simpson had given Presbyterian a 1-0 lead 10 minutes earlier on a header off a corner by Kelly Kozera.
The Bulldogs dominated the early stages of the second half, firing six shots in the opening 21 minutes of the period, but could not break the tie. The Citadel then survived two shots in the last two minutes of regulation when Naomi Carter stopped a Kristen Peagler shot and Hannah Gaither was wide left in the closing seconds.
Carter finished with 11 saves to four for Blue Hose goalkeeper Jordan Broadway. Presbyterian outshot the Bulldogs 17-13 and had 13 shots on goal to only five for the Bulldogs. The Blue Hose were also awarded 10 corner kicks to just two for The Citadel.
The Bulldogs return home to face Winthrop on Wednesday at 4 p.m., before opening Southern Conference play at Furman on Friday, Sept. 27.