Furman 2, Oklahoma 1 (2OT)
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Senior Stephanie DeVita netted two goals, including the match-winning score in double overtime, to lift Furman to a 2-1 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the season opener for both teams before a crowd of 2,108 on Friday night at Stone Soccer Stadium.
With less than 4:30 to play in the second overtime period, sophomore Rachael Shah collected the ball near midfield and played a diagonal through ball to DeVita, who touched the ball around the charging keeper and settled the ball at the top of the 6-yard box before firing past an OU defender in net for the winning score. The goal marked the Simpsonville, S.C., native’s second of the night and 52nd in 65 career games as a Paladin.
After a scoreless first half that featured just five combined shots, Furman struck first in the 49th minute. Kristen Baker delivered an in-swinging corner kick to the far post and DeVita tapped the bouncing ball into the back corner at the 48:34 mark.
Oklahoma turned up the pressure over the final 30 minutes of regulation, but Furman maintained the lead thanks to several sprawling saves from senior goalkeeper Rose Hull. With less than two minutes left in regulation, the Paladins cleared a chip into the box only to see Oklahoma’s Marissa McMahand run onto the loose ball and fire a low, swerving shot into the lower right-hand corner from 22 yards to knot the match at 1-1 with 1:40 on the clock.
The win marked the first ever for the Paladins against a Big 12 opponent and gave Furman at least one win versus a Big 12, SEC or ACC opponent for the eighth consecutive season.
Furman continues its three-match homestand on Sunday at 2 p.m. when it entertains CAA favorite Northeastern at Stone Stadium. Tickets for Sunday’s match are available at FurmanPaladins.com or at the Stone Stadium entrance beginning one hour prior to kickoff.
ETSU 2, USC Upstate 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – ETSU women’s soccer headed to Spartanburg, S.C. for their first regular-season game against USC Upstate and came away with a dominating 2-0 victory over the Spartans on Friday night.
The Bucs struck early as senior Sarah Zadrazil earned her first goal of the season, weaving through the USC Upstate defense to give ETSU the 1-0 lead. Just six minutes later, the Blue & Gold was back at with preseason All-SoCon junior Molly Collinson earning her first goal. Zadrazil grabbed the assist on the Collinson goal.
It was the sixth career shutout for junior goalkeeper Jasmine Elliott, as she moved into second place in ETSU history for career shutouts. With the win, Elliott is now tied with Megan Masch for the most wins in program history (15).
The Bucs will be back in action on Monday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. as they travel to take on the Highlanders of Radford University.
Western Carolina 3, Eastern Kentucky 0
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina opened the 2015 season with a 3-0 victory over Eastern Kentucky Friday at the Catamount Athletic Complex in front of a rowdy 725 crowd.
Western Carolina carried a tight 1-0 lead into the second half. WCU put the game out of reach for EKU when the Colonels were called for a foul inside the box. Senior Amanda Schwartz scored a PK goal, knocking the ball in from the left side of the net, to give WCU the crucial 2-0 lead.
Junior goalie Carly Tinstman earned the shutout.
Kelly Pannell scored the first goal of the game five minutes into the contest after WCU stole the throw-in from EKU.
A through pass set up Sayres McKenna, and Haven Leland found the foot of redshirt sophomore Kasey Cooke for goal No. 3.
Samford 2, Boise State 0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University soccer team opened its 2015 campaign in impressive fashion Friday as the Bulldogs breezed to a 2-0 home victory against the Boise State Broncos at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
The Bulldogs will next be in action Sunday at 6 p.m. CT, as they play host to South Alabama.
On Friday, both of Samford’s goals were set up by junior forward Jermaine Seoposenwe. After a scoreless first half in front of a raucous home crowd of 1,189 blue-clad fans, the Bulldogs struck quickly in the second period as Seoposenwe sent a pretty forwarding pass ahead through three Boise State defenders and directly to Malcanisha Kelley’s feet.
Kelley then faced a one-on-one with the Broncos’ goalkeeper, Janelle Flores, and beat her to the right side for the game-winning goal.
The Bulldogs’ decisive score was tallied in the 47th minute of action at exactly 1:23 into the second half.
Following a lightning delay, Samford stormed ahead offensively and notched its second goal of the contest in the 74th minute of action as Seoposenwe fed true freshman Ella Baggett for her first collegiate score.
Coastal Carolina 2, Wofford 1
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford women’s soccer team fell to Coastal Carolina in the 2015 regular-season opener by a score of 2-1 on Friday night at Snyder Field.
The Terriers jumped out to an early lead on a goal from sophomore Hannah Washko and took that lead into halftime. The Chanticleers proceeded to score two goals in the second period, with the game-winner coming from freshman forward Tara Lyons in the 81st minute.
Washko scored her goal in the fifth minute after senior midfielder Mary Beth Bleekrode passed her a ball into the box. Washko drilled the ball on the ground past the diving Chanticleer keeper into the back left corner of the net.
Chanticleer defender Mikayla Williams scored on the first shot attempt for Coastal Carolina. Williams tapped it in goal from left to right after Lyons blew past a Terrier defender and passed Williams the ball.
Back-and-forth play ensued before Lyons eventually scored the game-winner on a rebound off Terrier keeper Alex Carroll. In the scramble for the ball, Lyons knocked it into the left side for the goal.
The Terriers return to action Monday night at Snyder Field against Charleston Southern. The match starts at 7 p.m., and admission is free.
Youngstown State 1, VMI 0
LEXINGTON, Va. – A 30th-minute goal by Youngstown State's Karlee Kline was the difference, as the visiting Penguins of YSU held off the VMI Keydets, 1-0, in nonconference women's soccer action Friday at Patchin Field. The match was the season-opener for both schools.
After a corner kick by YSU's Kyler Lum at 29:15, the ball came free in the box. Kline's first try was blocked, and the second effort by Katie Hackos resulted in a team save by the Keydets. Kline recovered and put the ball past VMI goalkeeper Darien Dunham on the third attempt, however, for what would prove to be the only goal of the match.
VMI will return to action Tuesday, when the Keydets play host to the Lady Pirates of Hampton University. Action gets underway at 4 p.m., and the match will be streamed live on the SoCon Digital Network.
Loyola-Chicago 3, UNCG 2 (2OT)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women’s soccer team rallied twice from a goal down Friday night but didn’t have a chance to rally a third time as the Spartans surrendered a goal in the 105th minute of play to fall 3-2 to visiting Loyola-Chicago in the season opener at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. The Spartans will look to bounce back Sunday when they travel across the Triad to face rival High Point at 7 p.m.
The Ramblers scored the game-winning goal in the 105th minute of action as they took advantage of a fortuitous bounce. Shelby Koch made a run down the right-hand side and sent a cross into the box. UNCG defender Georgia Brown and Loyola’s Claire Oberle went to the ground together as a cross came into the box and the ball popped up right to Oberle, who was able to poke it into the back of the net for the 3-2 victory.
The game looked like it was headed into the halftime scoreless but the Ramblers were able to find the back of the net with 17.2 seconds left in the first half on Oberle’s first goal of the game.
The Spartans tied the game up early in the second half. Brown won the ball in the back and made a run up the middle before springing senior forward Candice Forbes down the right-hand side. Forbes sent a long cross into the box, where it found classmate Zoe Fishman on the back post and she volleyed it past Cassidy Lentz to tie the game at 1-1.
Loyola-Chicago retook the lead in the 73rd minute of play. Avalon Senn-Raemont made a run through the midfield before finding forward Jenna Szczesny at the top of the 18-yard box. Szczesny took her first touch around a defender and shot the ball back across the grain of the goal and into the side netting for a 2-1 advantage.
The Spartans were on the ropes in the closing minutes of regulation before securing the tying goal in the 84th minute of play. Forbes was pushed forward and received the ball 30 yards out from goal. She was able to beat two Rambler defenders and ripped a shot from 25 yards out in the upper corner, knotting the game at 2-2.
UNC Asheville 4, The Citadel 0
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Citadel (0-1) took its first loss of the season, 4-0, at the hands of UNC Asheville on Friday night at Greenwood Field.
After a goal by Justine James in the closing minutes of the first half, UNC Asheville (1-0) took a 1-0 lead in to the break.
UNCA turned up the heat on the offensive side of things in the second half, scoring three goals in as many minutes to push the lead to 4-0. The Citadel was unable to mount a rally, tallying only one shot in the game.
Freshman goalkeeper Abby Koger had a busy night in the net, snagging 14 saves. Koger was one of four Bulldogs to play the entire 90 minutes.
The Bulldogs will have a day off before heading to Spartanburg to take on USC Upstate on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tulsa 2, Mercer 0
TULSA, Okla. – The Mercer women's soccer team opened the 2015 season with a 2-0 loss to Tulsa on Friday night.
After a scoreless first half, the Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead off a header from Christina Holmes from 5 yards out in the 61st minute. Tulsa added second goal in the 76th minute and the Bears were unable to find a shot in the final minutes to threaten the lead.
Maggie Cropp started in goal for Mercer and played the entire first half, notching two saves and refusing to allow a Tulsa goal. Cropp faced a total of seven shots in the first half.
The Bears will face Oklahoma State on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 1 p.m. ET at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex in Stillwater, Okla.