Women's Soccer Blasts FIU, 4-0, in Final Exhibition

Sunday, August 12

Jacksonville, Fla.

11 a.m.

University of North Florida

Florida International (Exh.)

8/12/2012 1:13:00 PM | Women's Soccer

By: UNF Athletics

UNF-FIU Box Score (pdf)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The University of North Florida women's soccer team scored two goals in each half en route to a 4-0 romp over Florida International at Hodges Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

“I'm very proud of how the girls played today,” Head Coach Linda Hamilton said. “To have four goals from four different scorers against a good team like FIU is something we can be very proud of today.”

The Ospreys opened the scoring in the 14th minute when senior Sadie McLean found space down the right flank and fired a cross into the area. Senior Michele Larrinaga then beat her defender to the spot and nodded a shot into the right side of the net to put UNF up 1-0 early.

Junior Lauren Hopfensperger then doubled the Ospreys' lead just 11 minutes later. After junior Thea Linkfield sprung the forward on a through ball, Hopfensperger took a handful of dribbles and finished the one-on-one opportunity to make the margin 2-0.

With the exception of the scoreline, most of the major stats were split evenly between the teams at halftime. Both teams had forced one save out of the opposing goalie. UNF held a 4-3 advantage in shots, but had not yet taken a corner kick, while FIU had taken just one.

After the break, however, the Ospreys pushed forward on offense and seized outright control of the game. In the 60th minute, Linkfield grabbed a goal of her own on an overlapping pass from Hopfensperger. Linkfield fielded the pass, shrugged off two defenders and buried a shot to the far post to give UNF a 3-0 lead.

In the 73rd minute, junior Heather Botelho missed a chance of her own by inches, as she fired a shot from 30 yards that caromed off the underside of the crossbar. However, junior Carolina Lencina pounced on the rebound and poked a shot into the net to finish the scoring at 4-0.

For the game, the Ospreys opened a 15-6 margin in shots, but did not win a corner kick. UNF also forced nine saves out of FIU goalkeeper Kaitlyn Savage. Junior Bri Swift only needed a pair of stops to preserve the shutout.

In their two exhibition games this weekend, six different Ospreys combined to score eight times, while UNF only gave up two goals, including one from a penalty kick.

“This weekend was definitely full of good signs,” Hamilton said. “There are things we need to work on, but all in all I'm very proud of the team and I think we're at a good place as we get the season started.”

The Ospreys kick off their 2012 regular season campaign this weekend, as they travel to Furman on Friday, August 17 for a match that kicks off at 8 p.m. They will then head to Clemson on Sunday, August 19 for a 1 p.m. bout.