Samford 2, Wake Forest 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Against one of the premier squads in the nation Sunday, the Samford University soccer team knocked off the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 2-1, in a thrilling nonconference contest held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
Wake Forest jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage Sunday as Sarah Teegarden notched her first goal of the season in the seventh minute of action.
Midway through the first half, Samford equalized the match at 1-1 as junior forward Malcanisha Kelley registered her team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 28th minute.
In the 67th minute, Samford’s Courtney Hendrickson turned in the outstanding play of the match by powering home a goal-scoring shot from 40 yards out that proved to be the game-winner.
Hendrickson picked off an errant pass from a Wake Forest midfielder, didn’t hesitate and drilled a perfectly placed shot from long range and carried over the goalkeeper’s head and into the back of the net.
The Samford University soccer team will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs travel to Auburn, Ala., for their first road test of the regular season against the 16th-ranked Auburn Tigers at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
UNCG 2, Eastern Kentucky 0
RICHMOND, Ky. – The UNCG women’s soccer team picked up its first win of the 2015 season Sunday as the Spartan dominated Eastern Kentucky on their way to a 2-0 victory at the EKU Soccer Field.
UNCG (1-3-0) came out of the gate quickly against EKU, scoring the game’s first goal in the fifth minute of play. Senior defender Zoe Fishman made a run down the right hand side before sending a diagonal pass to the top of the 18-yard box. Junior forward Diarra Simmons made a run onto the ball, turned on her defender and ripped a left-footed shot into the bottom corner past EKU goalkeeper Samm Melton for the 1-0 lead and her first goal as a Spartan.
After finding the crossbar four times already in the game, the Spartans were finally able to get the insurance goal in the 89th minute of play, earning the much-deserved victory. Junior midfielder Melanie Formosa won a 50/50 ball with an EKU midfielder and made a run 30-yard run down the heart of the Colonel defense. Formosa was able to make it all the way into the 18-yard box and fired a shot from 15 yards out over the head of Melton to seal the victory.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Chloe Buehler posted her first shutout of the season and the third shutout of her career as she finished with two saves. Melton added six saves in the loss for the Spartans.
UNCG returns to action Friday evening as it travels to Blacksburg, Va., to face off against No. 9 Virginia Tech. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Thompson Field.
Stetson 4, The Citadel 0
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel women’s soccer team dropped its second home game of the season 4-0 to Stetson on Sunday afternoon.
Rain fell steadily for the majority of the match, which was eventually called due to unsafe playing conditions in the 72nd minute.
Stetson (2-2) took a 3-0 lead into halftime after scoring two of its goals off of corner kicks.
The Bulldogs (0-4) were led by Katherine Arroyo’s four shots. Kim Maldonado and Ilana Green registered one shot each.
The Bulldogs will return to W.L.I. Field on Friday when they host Fordham. Opening kick is set for 4 p.m. and admission is free.
Elon 2, Chattanooga 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s soccer team fell 2-0 to Elon on Sunday afternoon in nonconference action at Finley Stadium. The Mocs drop to 0-3 on the year, while the Phoenix improves to 2-1 overall.
Elon’s Kelly Siewers had both goals for the Phoenix with her first on a header in the 53rd minute, assisted by Sydney Schilling. Her second came in the 84th minute, assisted by Nyah Spearman, for the final tally.
The Mocs had six shots on the day with three on goal. Late in the match, sophomore McKenzie Gregg fired a rocket from deep and it was knocked over the bar by Elon keeper Hanna Macaulay in the 89th minute.
The Mocs will hit the road for a four-game road stretch that begins Friday night in Nashville, Tenn., against Lipscomb. The game is set to kick off at 8 p.m. Eastern time at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex.
No. 16 Auburn 2, Furman 0
AUBURN, Ala. – Hannah Alspach and Casie Ramsier each netted a goal to lead 16th-ranked Auburn to a 2-0 victory over Furman in women’s soccer action on Sunday afternoon at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
With its fourth consecutive shutout, Auburn improved to 4-0-0 on the season. The Paladins dropped to 2-2-0.
Alspach put the Tigers in front at the 36:08 mark by receiving an Ellie Leek pass on the right side of the box and lofting a shot over the head of Paladin goalkeeper Rose Hull that clipped the left post before finding net.
Furman continued to hold the deficit at 1-0 past the hour mark as Rose Hull recorded a series of diving saves, but the senior was forced to the sideline due to injury in the 64th minute. Auburn doubled its lead moments later when Leek and Alspach triggered an Auburn counterattack and played Ramsier behind the Paladin defense. The forward ran onto the through ball and fired a shot past a charging Maggie Grisell for her fourth goal of the season.
Furman returns to action on Thursday at 7 p.m. when it hosts USC Upstate at Stone Stadium. The match is set to be streamed on the SoCon Digital Network.
NC State 2, ETSU 0
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – On Sunday afternoon, the ETSU women's soccer team dropped its first game of the season, falling to NC State 2-0. The Bucs outshot NC State 13-9.
For the first time this season, the Bucs gave up a goal in the first half, as redshirt sophomore Jackie Stengel gave the Wolfpack an early with her second goal of the season.
In the second half, it wouldn't take long for NC State to get on the board, as freshman Maxine Blackwood netted her first goal of the season. Blackwood, who had an assist on the first goal, intercepted a pass and capitalized on the one-on-one opportunity to give the Wolfpack a 2-0 lead.
ETSU (3-1) will look to rebound on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 7 p.m. inside Summers-Taylor Stadium against Eastern Kentucky.
Appalachian State 2, Mercer 1
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University women's soccer team dropped a 2-1 decision to Appalachian State on Sunday afternoon at Five Star Stadium.
After a scoreless first half, Mercer came out for the second stanza and scored quickly as Jamilah Tejan found Haleigh Svede for a goal in the 47th minute. App State evened the score, 1-1, in the 62nd minute and a penalty kick in the 80th minute gave the Mountaineers their final advantage. The Bears pressed in the final 10 minutes but were unable to find the back of the net.
Senior keeper Maggie Cropp played the first half and logged four saves and did not allow a goal.
Cristina Mursuli played the second half in goal for Mercer and tied her season high of five saves, while giving up two goals.
The game served as the first-ever Mercer soccer game played in Five Star Stadium after inclement weather forced the match to be relocated from Bear Field.
Mercer will host Tennessee Tech on Friday, Sept. 4 at 7:00 p.m. at Bear Field.
Middle Tennessee 1, Western Carolina 0
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Western Carolina dropped its first match of the season with a 1-0 loss at Middle Tennessee on Sunday at the Dean Hayes Soccer and Track and Field Complex.
The Catamounts weathered a barrage of 19 shots on goal keeper Carly Tinstman before a foul was called inside the WCU box in the 72nd minute. The foul set up a Emily Jorgenson penalty kick that sailed into the upper left of the net for the Middle Tennessee score. It would be all the Blue Raiders would need to secure the win.
Tinstman recorded a career-high nine saves in the game.
Western Carolina took just four shots in the game as opposed to the Blue Raiders' 21.
Western Carolina returns home for a two-game home stand hosting Campbell on Friday and Longwood on Sunday.