University of North Florida
Western Carolina
Women's Soccer Falls to Western Carolina, 3-1
8/25/2011 10:34:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Box Score
CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Senior midfielder Denisse Soltero scored the lone goal for the Ospreys as the University of North Florida women's soccer team lost their first game of the season, 3-1, at Western Carolina Thursday night. Two second-half goals for the Catamounts put the game out of reach as UNF couldn't manage a comeback in their first road game of the year.
“We faced a very fast, athletic team tonight,” Head Coach Linda Hamilton said. “They brought a lot of pressure and I think we were overwhelmed at times.”
WCU got the scoring started in the 17th minute, when junior Samantha Hodge threaded a pass between two Osprey defenders to find junior Laura Greb, who was able to put away the chance from about ten yards. Greb's goal was the first score given up by UNF sophomore goalkeeper Megan Dorsey in over 200 minutes of play.
The Ospreys were able to even the match in the 35th minute on a free kick from just outside the right edge of the penalty box. After senior midfielder Vladana Petricevic fired a free kick off the crossbar, Soltero was able to latch onto the rebound and finish the job, tying the game at 1-1.
Although UNF had multiple chances in the final minutes of the first half, they could only find the post and the teams went into the break stuck at 1-1.
The Catamounts were able to break the deadlock in the 65th minute, when a WCU corner kick was cleared off the goalline, only to be intercepted and put in the net by freshman midfielder Kimbely Sullivan to put the Catamounts up 2-1.
In the 70th minute, Dorsey was able to hold the scoreline at 2-1 by turning away a penalty kick from Catamount midfielder Kayla Beauduy. Just two minutes later, however, Beauduy made the best of her second chance, finishing a cross from freshman midfielder Sara Robinson to complete the scoring at 3-1.
The Ospreys fell to 1-1-1 on the year, while WCU improved to 2-1-0.
“Our non-conference schedule is, essentially, set up to prepare us for conference games,” Hamilton said. “We definitely found some places to improve tonight and we can learn a lot from this game.”
UNF is next in action at Florida State on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. The Ospreys are beginning a road trip that will not bring them back for a home game until a September 30 match against Mercer.
