Wofford 3, Francis Marion 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Senior midfielder Alex Kachulis scored the game-winning goal in the 18th minute as the Wofford women’s soccer team defeated Francis Marion University 3-0 Friday evening.
With the victory, the Terriers extend their winning streak to four and improved to 4-2-1 overall heading into Southern Conference play on Sunday. With the loss, the Patriots fell to 0-8-0 overall on the season.
In the first half, the Terriers started putting on pressure early as sophomore forward Mary Beth Bleekrode had a shot saved by the outstretched hands of Patriots goalkeeper Taylor O’Berry in the 11th minute. Wofford would then take the lead 1-0 in the 18th minute when Kachulis placed a ball into the top right side of the net from 8 yards out.
Wofford created many opportunities in the half, outshooting Francis Marion 14-3. Despite the opportunities, the Terriers would go into the half still leading 1-0.
Wofford would capitalize in the 69th minute, when sophomore forward Chloe Brackett took the ball one-on-one with the goalkeeper and placed a shot into the right side of the net for her third goal of the season, giving the Terriers a 2-0 advantage.
The Patriots had their best opportunity of the half in the 72nd minute, when Arianna Pierner had a shot from 23 yards out hit the top of the crossbar.
Wofford would then seal the victory in the 81st minute, when senior forward Emily Bougas scored her first goal of the season, volleying a bouncing ball from 8 yards out into the center of the goal.
For the match, the Terriers outshot the Patriots 25-5 and won the corner battle 7-4.
In net for Wofford, senior goalkeeper Kimberly Cohn earned her third shutout of the season and improved her season record to 4-1-1. She faced five Francis Marion shots and made two saves.
For the Patriots, O’Berry fell to 0-8-0 on the season, facing 24 Terrier shots and making eight saves. Kim Newton also made an appearance, playing for 7:13 and facing one Wofford shot.
The Wofford women’s soccer team returns to action on Sunday when it opens Southern Conference play as it hosts The Citadel at Snyder Field at 2 p.m.
Furman 7, The Citadel 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Junior India Robinson tallied three assists and scored her first goal of the season as Furman netted seven second-half goals en route to a 7-0 victory over The Citadel in the Southern Conference women’s soccer opener for both schools Friday night on Seagraves Field at Stone Stadium.
With its third consecutive victory, Furman stretched its unbeaten run to six matches and improved to 6-2-1 on the season. The Citadel slipped to 2-4-2 overall and 0-1-0 in the SoCon.
Robinson, who entered the match leading the SoCon and tied for second nationally with eight assists, set up Furman’s first three goals via corner kicks. The Camden, S.C., native curled a corner kick to the top of the 6-yard box at 52:59 and Hannah Stanifer headed a shot past Bulldog goalkeeper Naomi Carter to put the Paladins ahead 1-0.
Less than five minutes later, Robinson played a corner toward the near post that Stephanie DeVita flicked into the path of Carlie Couch, who tapped in a shot from close range for her first collegiate goal. Furman increased its lead to 3-0 at 71:38 when Alyssa Althoff delivered a driving header into the back of the net off of a Robinson corner for her second goal of the campaign.
Senior Dee Makris drilled a 25-yard effort home to give Furman a 4-0 lead at the 80:27 mark before Robinson finally netted her first goal of the season by curling a 22-yard effort inside the left post from the corner of the box.
Delaney Sheehan and Kristin Fennegan each scored in the final two minutes to cap the seven-goal second-half outburst for Furman.
Sophomore Maggie Grisell earned the win in goal for the Paladins, who outshot The Citadel 45-9 and 22-1 in shots on goal. Carter totaled 15 saves for the Bulldogs.
The Paladins continue their weekend homestand on Sunday when they host Francis Marion in a nonconference clash. Kickoff on Seagraves Field at Stone Stadium is set for 2 p.m.
The Citadel stays in the Upstate to face Wofford on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Davidson 3, Chattanooga 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Davidson women’s soccer team got its final season in the Southern Conference under way in winning fashion by taking a 3-2 road win at Chattanooga on Friday evening in Findley Stadium.
The Wildcats (2-5-3, 1-0 SoCon) captured their 10th victory in a row vs. the Mocs (4-4, 0-1 SoCon) to improve to 18-1-1 all-time in the series. They also improved to 14-5-1 in SoCon openers and 8-4 when playing those games on the road.
Down 1-0 just four minutes into the game, Davidson regrouped and rattled off three straight goals, including a goal and assist from Becca Fisher, on its way to earn its second win in a row.
Fisher scored the Wildcats’ first goal at the 11:43 mark when she got a pass from Stephanie Piperno inside the 6-yard box and fired off a shot to the right side for her ninth career goal to tie things up.
Less than 10 minutes later, the junior helped the ‘Cats get on the board again. This time, Fisher crossed in a pass to Julia Singley, who turned and shot one from 10 yards out to make it 2-1. It was Singley’s ninth career goal and first of the season.
Sarah Tuggle finished off the winning rally by getting the game-winner in the 62nd minute, when she beat Chattanooga’s Taylor Mangrum, who came out of the goal, bouncing the ball off the keeper and into the empty net. The score was the first career goal for the sophomore.
Chattanooga cut the deficit to one, 3-2, on Crystal Mackezyk’s fifth goal of the season off a corner kick at the 79:46 mark. Davidson’s defense shut down the Mocs the rest of the way, holding them without a shot in the final 10 minutes to secure the win.
Rachel Locke earned the win in goal with three saves, while Mangrum had nine for UTC.
Davidson dominated in the shot department, taking 20 shots and putting 12 on frame compared to seven shots for the Mocs and five on frame. The Wildcats also held an 8-2 advantage on corners.
The ‘Cats look to make it three straight when they wrap up a two-game SoCon road swing with a 2 p.m. contest at Samford on Sunday. Chattanooga will host Georgia Southern on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Samford 0, Georgia Southern 0 (2OT)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In its most dominating performance of the 2013 season Friday, the Samford University soccer team outshot the Georgia Southern Eagles, 33-6, and held possession for a predominant portion of the match but couldn’t find the back of the net in a Southern Conference-opening 0-0 draw held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
With the tie, Samford (6-2-1, 0-0-1 SoCon) remained undefeated at home this season and moved to 8-0-2 against Georgia Southern (1-5-2, 0-0-1 SoCon). In the all-time series between the teams, the Bulldogs have outscored the Eagles, 16-2.
Samford rattled off a season-high 33 shot attempts Friday and had four quality attempts carom off the crossbar. The Bulldogs also hit an unlucky streak as two addition shots glanced off the post.
Senior Trine Taule and sophomore Hallie Georgi led Samford with six shot attempts apiece, while freshman Anna Allen and senior Michelle Moll added five each. True freshman Molly Pittman finished the match with three shot attempts and turned in one of the Bulldogs’ best chances as her shot in the seventh minute of overtime glanced off the crossbar and flew over the goal.
Pittman’s near game-winner was rifled from the center of the field at approximately 30 yards out.
Georgia Southern goalkeeper Molly Williams, in her first action of the 2013 season, tallied 14 saves against Samford’s stout offensive attack. She registered two key stops in the first period, nine in the second half and then an additional three saves in the first overtime stanza.
Dating back to Oct. 23, 2011, the Eagles have gone 342 minutes without allowing a goal in matches held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium. Last season, Samford hosted the SoCon tournament during Georgia Southern’s improbable run to the championship title. The Eagles entered the 2013 postseason as the eighth-seeded team in the tournament.
Samford accumulated its fifth shutout of the season Friday. The Bulldogs’ highly touted incoming freshman Katie Peters started the match in goal but appeared to suffer a knee injury at halftime.
Junior Melissa Montgomery came on for Samford in the second half and played extremely well for the remaining 65 minutes of the contest. Montgomery, the Bulldogs’ 5-foot-7 native of Georgetown, Texas, started a majority of the team’s games in 2012 and finished with one save Friday.
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Sunday at 3 p.m. as the Bulldogs continue their four-match homestand with a contest against the Davidson Wildcats to be held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
Georgia Southern will play at Chattanooga on Sunday at 11 a.m.