Friday, September 16
Coastal Carolina Tops A-State in Sun Belt Opener
CONWAY - In the programs first ever Sun Belt Conference match, the Coastal Carolina women's soccer team downed Arkansas State 4-0 to record its first win in league play. The team also recorded the first victory versus a Sun Belt school in Coastal Carolina University history.
"Having the first win as a Coastal Carolina team in the Sun Belt is very cool," said head coach Paul Hogan. "Leading into the rest of conference play we still have to come out and play consistence with every game and every team. If we play from back to front with great effort we will be good but every team will bring challenges."
The victory improves the Chanticleers to 4-3-1 overall moving to 1-0 in league play. Meanwhile, Arkansas State falls to 2-3-2 overall and 0-1 in the league.
Coastal out shot Arkansas State 18-2 with 14 of those shots on frame forcing the Red Wolves goaltender to make a total of 10 saves. The Chants also held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Chanticleers started off strong scoring in the first six minutes of the game. Daniella Famili scored the programs first goal versus a Sun Belt opponent in Chanticleer history as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Ambria Shutts beat her defender down the right flank sending a cross towards the top of the 18-yard box finding Sam Patterson. Patterson directs the ball down to Famili cutting her defender then hammered it home.
Coastals' second tally of the match came in the 20th minute off a header from Brooke Horist. Ellie Taylor ignited the play driving a ball right to Horist who redirects the ball on frame to score.
Continuing Coastal's offensive force, the Chants added two more goals in the final 10 minutes of the second half to lock in the victory.
Brenna Leftwich used her speed through the middle beating two Arkansas State defenders looking for net but the rocketed shot was pushed over the crossbar for a corner kick. Taylor sent the ball into the mix finding its way near the back post as Alexis Siegel is there to slide one away for the 3-0 lead.
Just four minutes later, Coastal added its fourth goal as Alexis Magruder drilled one from 25 yards out to the upper-90 to score.
Arkansas State's best opportunity came in the final minutes of the match but Jacqueline Greer headed it off the crossbar to bounce out.
NEXT UP
The Chanticleers return to the pitch Sunday versus Appalachian State with the match slated to start at 1 p.m. The game will not be stream live but live stats will be available on GoCCUSports.com.
Reynolds’ Brace Leads Troy Past Appalachian State
TROY, Alabama – Abby Reynolds landed a pair of goals, both assisted by Haley Roberson, while Brooke McKee capped the night with a beautiful headed goal as the Troy soccer team defeated Appalachian State, 3-0, to open Sun Belt Conference play on Friday at the Troy Soccer Complex.
In the 40th minute, Roberson skidded a perfectly weighted ball through Appalachian State's high back line where Reynolds ran onto it and slotted it past the keeper to open the scoring. Reynolds nabbed her third goal of the season in the 58th minute when Roberson played the ball into the box from the left wing; Reynolds headed it low towards the near post for the score.
McKee netted her fourth goal of 2016 in the 66th minute when Brittany Yoder lofted a cross to the far post, McKee closed the final five yards before out-jumping the Mountaineers' defender and heading it home. It was Yoder's second career assist.
Mikki Lewis faced a barrage of shots, mostly from distance, and ended the game with nine saves and her fifth shutout of the year.
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
Scoring goals is obviously crucial to winning matches. Reynolds goal in the 40th minute was the first goal scored by a Troy player in over 390 minutes of action. It proved to be the spark as the Trojans routed Appalachian State (5-4, 0-1) by a 3-0 score line for the second consecutive year.
Bobcats Down Little Rock 1-0 in OT Behind Prater’s Goal
SAN MARCOS, Texas – For the fourth time in the last six game, the Texas State women's soccer team had to go to overtime to decide the outcome Friday night at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. Unlike the previous three extra period contests, the Bobcats came out on top 1-0 over Little Rock in both teams' Sun Belt Conference opener when senior forward Lauren Prater scored just over four minutes into the first overtime period during the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Match.
Texas State improved to 4-4-1 on the season and 1-0-0 in SBC play while the Trojans fall to 5-4-0 overall and 0-1-0 in conference action.
In the 16th minute, Prater had a good look to put the Bobcats in front when she received a long cross from Chandler Cooney. Her shot, though, sailed just over the crossbar
Little Rock had a solid chance on goal six minutes later when Mikayla Uyokpeyi drove down the right sideline and cut into the box. She unleashed a shot that Texas State goalkeeper Heather Martin punched away from danger.
Two minutes after the Trojans opportunity the Bobcats had another chance on the other side of the pitch. Rachel Grout sent a through ball forward to find an open Kassi Hormuth. Her shot attempt was on target but Little Rock's Sara Small made a diving stop.
One of the best chances for Texas State came in the 56th minute. Hormuth was able to beat the defense to a long ball and sent a chip shot over the charging goalkeeper. Unfortunately, the ball went past the far left post for a goal kick.
In the 73rd minute, Clarissa Leon got to a loose ball near the goal line and sent the ball past the diving keeper. However, there were no Bobcats in the area to take advantage of the opportunity.
Texas State's last solid chance at a goal in regulation was late in the 79th minute. Jordan Kondikoff ripped a shot from 15 yards out after receiving a pass from Grout. The ball nearly hit the left post but instead hit the outside of the left side netting.
Martin came up big with 10 seconds left on the clock when Quin Wilkes was able to get past the Bobcats' defense. She unleashed a shot but Martin knocked down the ball and fell on it to prevent a rebound opportunity.
Almost 90 seconds into overtime, the Trojans' Harrison Hayworth put a shot towards goal. Martin got her finger tips on it to send the ball off the right post but back into the field of play. Fali Garuba followed with an attempt that Martin was able to corral.
On the counter attack, Hormuth beat the defense and had a 1-v-1 opportunity with the goalkeeper. The keeper was fooled by which way she would go on the shot but the ball rolled just past the left post.
Early in the 95th minute Prater received a pass from Hormuth. She turned inside and sent a high, arching shot towards the goal. The ball sailed over the hands of the leaping goalkeeper for the game-winning goal. The score moved Prater into a tie for ninth on the career goals list with 16 and a tie for 10th in the career points list with 37.
UL Lafayette Ties Georgia State In Sun Belt Opener
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns soccer team opened Sun Belt Conference play with a 1-1 tie against Georgia State on Friday evening at the Ragin' Cajuns Soccer/Track Facility.
Louisiana (4-4-1, 0-0-1 SBC) scored the match's first goal on a penalty kick from junior Whitney Taggart in the 54th minute past Georgia State goalkeeper Brie Haynes.
"She buried it and she earned it," head coach Scot Wieland said of Taggart. "It was her opportunity and she had to put it away and she did. She stepped up."
Georgia State (3-2-3, 0-0-1 SBC) responded with an equalizer in the 67th minute on a penalty kick from Amanda Bruemmer past Louisiana goalkeeper Cosette Morche.
The teams remained tied through the end of regulation, sending the contest to overtime. The Ragin' Cajuns had an opportunity for the match-winner in the initial overtime period when freshman Erika Sierra had a rebound off a deflection from Haynes' hands.
A scoreless second overtime period resulted in the teams settling for a draw in Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams.
"We played hard and we had chances," Wieland said. "We came out with a draw and that's how it goes."
Morche had five saves for the Ragin' Cajuns, who held a 30-10 advantage in shots with 16 on goal. Haynes had 15 saves for the Panthers.
"We played well tonight," Wieland said. "We just have to keep pushing and put the ball in the net."
Louisiana will face Little Rock (5-4, 0-1 SBC) on Sunday, Sept. 18 in a 1 p.m. match at the Ragin' Cajuns Soccer/Track Facility. Live statistics and a live video stream will be available at RaginCajuns.com.