Samford 1, Wofford 0
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University soccer team turned in one of its most dominant performances of the 2015 season Sunday but was only able to find the back of the net once in a nerve-wracking 1-0 Southern Conference victory against the Wofford Terriers in an early league contest held at the Samford Track and Soccer Stadium.
With the triumph, Samford (7-4, 2-0 SoCon) extended its winning streak against Wofford (1-4-3, 0-1-1 SoCon) to six consecutive matches and remained undefeated in the all-time series. The Bulldogs improved to 7-0-4 overall against the Terriers and 4-0-1 when playing at home.
Samford’s game-winning goal was tallied by junior forward Sara Smeltzer on Sunday. The score, which proved to be Smeltzer’s first of the season, occurred in the 34th minute of play and came from 15 yards out.
The Bulldogs’ Taylor Borman initiated the scoring play as she drove down the left flank and then flicked ahead a perfectly placed ball to Smeltzer in the middle of the attacking third just beyond the box. Smeltzer controlled the pass and then rifled a shot past Wofford’s goalkeeper Mayson Liner into the right corner.
Wofford’s Liner notched a career-high six saves in the loss. Samford’s goalkeeper Katie Peters didn’t record a save Sunday but improved to 5-3 on the season with the complete-game shutout victory.
Samford will next be in action Friday at 3 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs begin a two-match conference road swing versus The Citadel Bulldogs to be held in Charleston, South Carolina. The Terriers next hit the field Friday, returning home for a match at Snyder Field against SoCon foe VMI. That match kicks off at 6 p.m.
ETSU 3, UNCG 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A multi-goal performance by junior Simona Koren propelled the ETSU women’s soccer team to a 3-1 victory over UNCG on Sunday afternoon inside UNCG Stadium. Koren has scored a goal in each of the last five games.
It was no other than Koren who got the Bucs (7-4, 2-0 SoCon) off to a fast start in the 12th minute, scoring her fifth goal of the season with the assist from fellow junior Molly Collinson. After a blocked shot, Collinson outraced the UNCG defense along the right side, passing the ball to Koren, who snuck the ball past the Spartan goalkeeper for the 1-0 lead.
For Koren, it’s her fifth straight game with a goal, the longest consecutive goals streak in program history. Collinson earned an assist for the second straight game.
UNCG got a solid chance right before the end of the half as senior forward Chesney White took a shot from a throw-in that curled around an ETSU defender before junior Jasmine Elliott dove to her left to make the save.
Right out of the gate in the second half, the Bucs widened their lead after beautiful touch passing from Collinson and Koren set up senior Sarah Zadrazil, who rocketed a shot that went over the UNCG goalkeeper and into the top right of the net for the goal. It was Zadrazil’s fourth goal of the season with Collinson and Koren each earning the assist.
In the 59th minute, history repeated itself as Collinson served up a pass to Koren, who for the second time on the afternoon blasted it into the back of the net to give ETSU a commanding 3-0 lead.
The Spartans got on the board in the 67th minute after a corner kick from Gabbi Charles was headed in by Chesney White.
ETSU returns home for its conference home opener on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. against Western Carolina at Summers-Taylor Soccer Stadium. The Spartans turn their attention to Furman on Oct. 2 for their first SoCon road match of the season. It marks the first of a four-game road stretch for the UNCG.
Western Carolina 5, VMI 0
LEXINGTON, Va. – Two goals from Kasey Cooke paced the Western Carolina Catamounts, as they defeated the VMI Keydets, 5-0, in Southern Conference women's soccer action on a rain-laden Sunday afternoon at Patchin Field.
The Catamounts (5-4-2, 1-1 SoCon) put pressure on the Keydets from the opening whistle and broke through in the seventh minute. Amanda Schwartz played a high, arcing cross across the box and Cooke headed the ball past VMI (4-7, 0-2) goalkeeper Darien Dunham at the near post to open the scoring. WCU would score once more in the first half, and broke it open by tallying three times in the second half.
For the day, WCU held a 22-6 edge in shots, including a 14-3 edge in tries on goal. The Catamounts had all 12 of the match's corner kicks, while Dunham was credited with nine of VMI's 10 saves. Alex Frank made a team save early in the second half as well. Keepers Carly Tinstman and Lauren Martin combined for three saves for the Catamounts.
After Cooke put Western ahead early, the Catamounts then added on in in the 24th minute. Keniya Lee attempted to clear a ball deep inside the VMI defensive end, but mishit the ball and it rolled approximately three feet away. Sheridan Caudle of WCU was waiting, stepped into the ball and blasted it top shelf to make it 2-0, Catamounts, which was the score at halftime.
After a spectacular team save by Frank in the 52nd minute kept it 2-0, WCU immediately tacked on a third goal. Alexa Frankeny had a sliding shot attempt in the box and hit it off the crossbar, but the resultant rebound came free to Cooke, who hammered it home for a 3-0 Catamount advantage.
Markie Studnicky (58th) and Deyana Walker (63rd) added on late to account for the final margin.
Western Carolina will complete its six-game road swing Friday at ETSU with the game scheduled to being at 7 p.m.
VMI women's soccer will return to action Friday, when the Keydets begin a four-match road swing at Wofford in Spartanburg, S.C. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
Furman 1, Chattanooga 0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Sophomore Abby DeMare netted a 64th-minute header and senior goalkeeper Maggie Grisell notched five saves to pace the Furman Paladins to a 1-0 shutout of Chattanooga in Southern Conference women’s soccer action on Sunday afternoon.
The win improved the Paladins to 8-4-0 overall and 1-1 in SoCon play, while Chattanooga slipped to 2-7-2 overall and 0-1-1 in the league.
With the match scoreless in the 64th minute, Stephanie DeVita received a throw-in, touched the ball around her defender and unleashed a bending shot that Chattanooga goalkeeper Molli Miller leaped to her right to knock clear. She deflected the shot toward the left side of the box, where DeMare headed into an empty net at the 63:46 mark for her first goal of the season.
Chattanooga created several chances in the final third of the match, but Grisell stopped two shots down the stretch to record her third shutout of the season and help Furman to its first SoCon victory of the season.
Miller made eight saves in her second start for the Chattanooga.
The Paladins return to the friendly confines of Stone Soccer Stadium next weekend when they host UNCG on Friday night and VMI on Sunday afternoon. Both matches will be streamed live on the SoCon Digital Network and tickets for both contests are available at FurmanPaladins.com.
The Mocs will hit the road this weekend for a pair of Southern Conference matchups at Mercer on Friday night in Macon, Ga. That will be followed up with a game at The Citadel on Sunday afternoon in Charleston, S.C.