Eagles Send Seniors Out a Winner in Final Home Match
10/19/2009 1:41:00 AM | Women's Soccer
STATESBORO, Ga. - Senior Michelle Carlson (Melbourne, Fla.) headed in the game-winner for her first career goal as the Georgia Southern women's soccer team (1-14-0, 1-7-0) defeated Wofford (3-12-1, 2-5-1) 3-2 on Senior Day. The Eagles struck first and fought back from a 2-1 deficit to send the 2009 seniors out a winner in their final home match.
"I was proud of our girls. We stepped up and battled hard," said head coach Ashley Hart. "It was a good send off for our seniors. Michelle played well and it was very suiting for her to get the game-winning goal today."
Georgia Southern recorded a season-high 14 shots, nine of which came on goal. Danae Kaimuloa (Escondido, Calif.) led the attack with five shots and a goal.
Missy Meyer (Alpharetta, Ga.) had a stellar day in net, recording seven saves. Meyer recorded four of those seven saves in the first half to hold the Terriers scoreless in the half.
Sara Oland (Evans, Ga.) gave the Eagles their first lead of the match in the 51st minute with her second goal in the last four matches. Morgan Springer (Mandeville, La.) crossed the ball from the left side of the box and found Oland on the right side for the goal.
"Sara has stepped up and has been really dangerous for us in her last four games," said Hart.
The Eagles were unable to hold onto the early second half lead. Rachael Blackburn tallied two goals to give Wofford a 2-1 lead. Blackburn notched the first goal after the ball was uncleared following a corner kick in the 67th minute. She scored the second goal off a free kick in the 74th minute.
"Our girls showed a lot of character and heart to battle back from the deficit," said Hart.
Kaimuloa responded to the second goal and scored the game-tying goal off a rebound in the 74th minute. Carlson scored the game-winner seven minutes later on a header from Oland.
The Terriers opened the match on the attack and took a corner kick in the 3rd minute. Jewel Kawamoto launched the ball into the box, but Carlson cleared the ball. Kawamoto tracked down the ball and launched a shot, forcing Meyer to make the chest-high save.
Kaimuloa put the Eagles on the attack in the 6th minute and launched a shot from the top of the box, forcing a save by Kaite McChesney.
Holly Dyer (Auburn, Ga.) broke away in the 10th minute and had a one-on-one opportunity against the goalkeeper. McChesney came out of the cage to block the shot.
Wofford controlled the ball in the Eagles' half after the shot by Dyer, recording seven shots in a ten minute period. Caroline Scales (Chattanooga, Tenn.) made a number of nice clearances and Meyer made three saves to prevent an early goal by the Terriers.
Kaimuloa took two shots in the final ten minutes to put Georgia Southern back on the attack. Her first came on a header that missed wide of the net, and her second was a shot that went right of the post.
Kyrstin Smith (Acworth, Ga.) tallied a shot on goal in the final minutes, but McChesney came up with her third save of the period.
The Terriers opened the second half as they did the first on the attack. Sydney Reed took two shots and forced an early save by Meyer in the 50th minute. Oland responded less than a minute later with a goal off the cross by Springer.
Kaimuloa and Dyer took shots in the 53rd minute to keep Georgia Southern on the attack. Kaimuloa had her shot blocked by the Terrier defense, and Dyer forced a save by McChesney.
Rachael Blackburn tallied both goals for the Terriers and barely missed a third goal in the 59th minute when she hit the crossbar. Eight minutes later she notched her first goal, tying the match; and six minutes later she gave Wofford the lead.
In between Blackburn's two goals, Chelsea Kephart (Cumming, Ga.) tallied a shot on goal, and Springer had her shot blocked by the defense.
Kaimuloa found the mark in the 74th minute and tied the match for Georgia Southern.
Carlson gave the Eagles their first win of the season with her first goal of her career. Kaimuloa took a corner and sent the ball into the box. Oland got control of the ball and set up Carlson for the header.
The women's soccer team returns to action Friday against Samford at 7 p.m.
