Samford 5, Kennesaw State 2
MARIETTA, Ga. – On a hot, humid day on Kennesaw State’s Marietta Campus, the Samford University soccer team equaled its season-high total of five goals Sunday en route to a torrid 5-2 road victory over the Kennesaw State Owls.
Senior Hallie Georgi led the way with two goals Sunday, while Kaitlyn Orman, Malcanisha Kelley and Olivia Cole also registered scores. Georgi notched the first two-goal performance of her career and increased her season total to three. Georgi’s scores occurred in the 45th and 69th minutes.
Orman jumpstarted Samford’s offensive attack just two minutes and 15 seconds into the game as she notched her second goal of the season off a crossing pass from sophomore Abriella Argueta. Orman’s goal gave the Bulldogs’ a quick 1-0 lead.
Neither team scored for the next 40 minutes of action until Kennesaw State’s Maggie Gaughan evened the match at 1-1 with her second goal of the 2015 campaign.
Gaughan’s tally ignited a flurry of three goals that were scored in a hectic span of just 4:11 of game time.
After Gaughan’s score at exactly 42:16, Samford’s Georgi answered with a thrilling goal of her own with only five seconds remaining in the first half. The scoring play was initiated by Ella Baggett, who rattled off a shot that was blocked but caromed to Georgi, who slammed home a shot to give Samford a 2-1 halftime lead.
The Bulldogs (5-4) took positive momentum into the locker room, but just 87 seconds into the second half, Kennesaw State (3-6-1) evened the score of the match at 2-2 with a goal from Kim Fincher.
Samford’s game-winning goal was scored by junior forward Malcanisha Kelley in the 64th minute. The score proved to be Kelley’s team-leading seventh of the season and came off an assist from Sara Smeltzer.
The Bulldogs added a pair of insurance goals in the second half as Georgi and Cole scored in the 69th and 80th minutes, respectively, to give Samford its decisive 5-2 win.
Sophomore Anna Maddox started in goal for the Bulldogs and notched three saves. With the win, she moved to 1-1 this season.
The Bulldogs will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m. (CDT) as they start Southern Conference play at home against archrival Furman. The 2015 SoCon opener will be held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
VMI 3, Francis Marion 0
LEXINGTON, Va. – Juliet Esnardo had a goal and an assist and the VMI defense held the Francis Marion Patriots to one shot on goal en route to a 3-0 win in women's soccer action Sunday afternoon at VMI's Patchin Field. With the win, VMI (4-5) won back to back matches for the first time since Sept. of 2013.
Esnardo opened the scoring in the 15th minute, when she took a long cross-field pass from Olivia Cotton and scored with a quick touch past FMU (2-9) goalie Taylor O'Berry. She then added an assist to Eryn Daman in the 24th minute and Liz Nickerson capped the scoring in the 36th minute.
The Keydets finished the day with a 20-7 edge in shots and an 8-1 advantage in corner kicks.
After Esnardo opened the scoring in the 15th minute with her first career goal, she helped the Keydets add on in the 24th. She played the ball across the box to Daman, who took a quick touch near O'Berry and two FMU defenders. There appeared to be a breakdown and the Daman touch leaked through all three players for a goal and a 2-0 VMI lead. It was Daman's second goal of the season.
VMI tacked on a third goal in the 36th minute to account for the final margin. Sydnie Bligh found Liz Nickerson for a top shelf shot from 15 yards out to make it a 3-0 game. It was Nickerson's first career goal in just the second match since the career goalkeeper began to see time as an offensive midfielder.
Defensively, Darien Dunham had the lone Keydet save of the day for VMI as the Keydets did not allow a goal in either match of the weekend. Casey Murakami, who relieved O'Berry in the 26th minute, was credited with three saves for FMU.
At the conclusion of the day, the all-tournament team was named and Cotton was voted the Offensive MVP. Keniya Lee earned Defensive MVP honors and Sydnie Bligh was also recognized with all-tournament laurels.
VMI will return to action Friday, as the Keydets play host to the ETSU Bucs at Patchin Field. Action is set for 4 p.m.
Chattanooga 1, Tennessee Tech 1 (2OT)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Chattanooga forced overtime for the third straight game Sunday afternoon at Tucker Stadium, scoring a 1-1 draw with Tennessee Tech, its first tie of the season.
Chattanooga sophomore Amanda Ortiz headed in classmate McKenzie Gregg’s corner kick at the 64:39 mark of the game to tie it up 1-1. That score would stand and the Mocs would head to overtime for the third straight game and fourth of the year.
Tennessee Tech scored a goal off a corner kick in the 21st minute to get out front early. However, the Mocs held TTU scoreless over the final 89:03 to remain unbeaten over its last two games.
Both teams were active on offense with 17 shots each. The Mocs had six shots on goal, while Tennessee Tech had seven shots on goal. Chattanooga keeper Katie Emig recorded five saves on the day and the team had one blocked shot.
The Golden Eagles outshot UTC 9-2 in the first half, recording all six shots on goal in the period. The second half saw the Mocs outshoot Tennessee Tech 11-4 and put four shots on goal in the frame. UTC had seven corner kicks compared to TTU’s five and did not commit a single offside offense while the Eagles had two.
UTC will return home for two of its final four home matches next weekend, opening play Friday night against Wofford at Finley Stadium. The game kicks off at 7 p.m.
UNCG 1, Appalachian State 1 (2OT)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women’s soccer team tied Appalachian State, 1-1, in the two team’s 20th meeting in program history Sunday night at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. Candice Forbes scored the Spartans’ lone goal in the nonconference matchup.
The game was scoreless for the first 27 minutes of play with neither team really threatening. It wasn’t until the 28th minute that Appalachian State’s Sam Childress fired a shot from 18 yards out that was just wide, hitting the right post. Jenn Bass one-touched the rebound and found the back of the net for a 1-0 Mountaineers lead.
Forbes scored the equalizer in the 74th minute when she found the back of the net to put the Spartans on the board. Seconds before Forbes’ goal, Chesney White took a shot from the left wing but was denied by keeper Megan Roberson. Forbes connected on the rebound for her third goal of the season.
The two teams remained in a stalemate throughout the rest of regulation. App State (4-3-2) outshot the Spartans 20-11 in regulation while each team took only one corner kick. Roberson made three saves in goal for the Mountaineers.
Although UNCG (2-6-2) maintained possession for the first overtime period, the Spartans were unable to penetrate Appalachian State’s defense. With 7:48 to play in the final overtime frame, Forbes made a fast breakaway down the left side of the field. Roberson came out past the 18-yard line and tackled Forbes, resulting in a red card and ejection from the game. UNCG would play the remainder of the game with an extra body on the field and ASU’s backup keeper, Sam Steyl, in goal but couldn’t capitalize, resulting in a 1-1 stalemate after 110 minutes of play.
The Spartans begin SoCon play Friday, Sept. 25, when they host Western Carolina (4-3-2) at 7 p.m. in the fourth game of the five-game home stand. Admission is free and the game will be broadcasted live on the SoCon Digital Network.
Jacksonville 2, Furman 1
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Dolphins jumped out to a 2-0 lead and held off a late Furman rally to claim a 2-1 victory and snap the Paladins’ five-match winning streak on Sunday afternoon at Southern Oak Stadium.
The loss, Furman’s first since Aug. 30, dropped the Paladins to 7-3-0. The Dolphins improved to 2-5-1.
Less than seven minutes into the match, Jessica Shaffelburg launched a would-be cross from outside the 18-yard box over the head of Paladin keeper Maggie Grisell and into the corner of the net to put JU in front 1-0.
The Dolphins, who outshot Furman 13-7 over the opening 45 minutes, added to their lead in the 69th minute. Chanci Roseberry played a cross from the right side to the near side of the 6-yard box. Grisell charged off her line to punch the cross clear, but Christen Barney flicked a header past the goalkeeper that trickled into the far corner of the net.
Furman pulled a goal back less than two minutes from full time as Kristian Leone beat the JU keeper one-versus-one for her first collegiate goal.
Sara Wicks stopped four Furman shots to earn the victory in goal for Jacksonville, while Grisell recorded five saves in a losing effort for Furman. The loss was the first in seven decisions in goal for Grisell.
Furman travels to Samford and Chattanooga next weekend to open Southern Conference play before hosting VMI and UNCG the following weekend.
College of Charleston 5, The Citadel 0
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The Citadel women’s soccer team lost 5-0 to College of Charleston on Sunday afternoon.
It was a hot one at Patriots Point Soccer Complex and the Cougars (6-3) got out to a quick start as Mary Kate Bowers scored less than 30 seconds into the match.
The Citadel defense would hold strong after the first goal until Alexa Gray broke through for College of Charleston burying another one in the back of the net, making it 2-0 with 17 minutes remaining in the first half. The score would remain in favor of the Cougars heading into the half.
The Cougars tallied 11 shots in the first half compared to the Bulldogs’ four. Emilie Valenciano led The Citadel (1-9) at the half with two shots on goal.
The score would remain 2-0 until 15 minutes left in the game when Raymara Baretto added two goals in a span of five minutes to make the lead 4-0 over the Bulldogs. A goal at the 5:42 mark would give College of Charleston a five-goal lead.
Kim Mora started the game in the net for The Citadel and recorded four saves while allowing two goals. Sam Millspaugh replaced Mora in the second half and tallied six saves and allowed three goals. The Bulldogs had nine shots overall.
The Citadel returns to action next Saturday when they travel to Macon, Ga., to face Mercer for the first SoCon match of the 2015 season.