Eagles and Catamounts Battle to 1-1 Stalemate

STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern’s Jenny Anderson scored her second goal on the season, Friday night (Oct. 19) in a Southern Conference match-up versus Western Carolina, but the Catamounts evened up the score, and the game ended in a 1-1, double-overtime deadlock at Eagle Field.

The Eagles (2-10-2, 1-4-2) got up on the scoreboard first in the 11th minute when Anderson (Birmingham, Ala.) received a slot pass from Ashley Toussaint (Warner Robins, Ga.) and shot it into the left side of the goal.

“Ashley did a good job of drawing two defenders toward her,” said head coach Ashley Hart.  “Jenny did a good job of finishing.”

Despite Western Carolina’s (8-7-1, 3-3-1) lead in shots (4-2) and corner kicks (7-0), Georgia Southern held on for the 1-0 first-half advantage going into the locker room.

Western Carolina increased their offensive force in the second stanza, firing off nine shots – four on goal – compared to Georgia Southern’s three second half shots.

Although the Catamounts produced more opportunities, the Eagles were successful in holding off the visitors’ attack until the 81st minute when Western Carolina’s Bri Cunningham tapped in a low, crossed pass from Lauren Atkinson inside the box.  Cunningham’s game-tying goal was her third winner of the season.

Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Santos (Berwyn, Ill.) and the Georgia Southern defense were key in stopping WCU’s late opportunities.  Santos saved two shots in the last six minutes of regulation before sending the game into overtime.

Toussaint tallied a pair of shots in the first overtime but both went high and wide.  Western Carolina almost ended the game with five seconds remaining on a Nikki Lombardo shot that hit the cross bar, which was rebounded and immediately followed by a Shannon Fowkes shot on goal.  Santos was there to make the last save as time expired.

In the second overtime, neither team was successful in their offensive opportunities as the match ended in a stalemate.

“Today we played well as a team,” said Hart.  “We knew they were going to be coming out very intense.  We were able to match their intensity very well, both offensively and defensively.”

In 110 minutes of play, Santos made six saves on the day to pick up the tie in the goal, while Catamount keeper Caitlin Williams made one save.

Western Carolina led the Eagles 18-7 in total shots and 13-0 in corner kicks.

Georgia Southern will hit the road to face SoCon opponent Appalachian State, Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. at ASU Soccer Stadium.  Western Carolina will head home to face Davidson, Sunday afternoon, for their final regular-season game at the Catamount Athletic Complex.

Category: Women's Soccer

Published on Friday, 19 October 2007 00:17