Women's Soccer Southern Conference

UNCG falls at South Carolina in NCAA First Round

COLUMBIA, S.C. – UNC Greensboro women’s soccer’s (15-5-1) 2018 season came to an end with a 3-1 loss at No. 3 seed South Carolina (14-5-1) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night at Stone Stadium. The Gamecocks scored two second half goals to secure their victory.

“I’m proud of our team,” said UNCG head coach Michael Coll. “We’ve won a lot of games this year, and we actually gave it a good go tonight. We scored a goal, and disappointed we didn’t score more than one, but best of luck to South Carolina in the next round. I wish them good luck in the next round of the NCAAs."

Heida Ragney Vidarsdottir tied the game up in the 40th minute with her second goal of the year. After a corner kick, Grace Kennedy lobbed the ball over to Cienna Rideout, who headed it into the box. Ragney Vidarsdottir received it in the right side of the box and put it past the goalkeeper in the right side of the net. The goal was just the second given up all season in the first half by South Carolina.

“(Our seniors were) just a wonderful group of student-athletes,” said Coll. “They are elite on the field, in the classroom and in the community. They will be sorely missed, but they have really helped the younger players behind them grow.”

South Carolina’s Lauren Chang recorded the game-winner in the 50th minute on a header in the middle of the box off a feed from Jyllissa Harris.

Harris added an insurance goal in the 61st minute on her own header.

Elexa Bahr scored South Carolina’s in the 32nd minute.

UNCG goalkeeper Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper finished with five saves.

The Gamecocks finished with an advantage in shots (25-10), shots on goal (8-4) and corner kicks (6-5).

Rideout led the Spartans with three shots, and Emily Jensen and Ragney Vidarsdottir both had two.

-- UNCG –