Strong Second Half Brought the Eagles Within a Goal
10/9/2009 12:22:00 AM | Women's Soccer
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern women's soccer team (0-12-0, 0-5-0) came up a goal short in the final tally despite a strong second half performance. Sara Oland (Evans, Ga.) scored her first goal of the season and the defense held the Citadel (5-8-0, 2-3-0) to three shots in the half.
The Bulldogs earned their second conference win in a 2-1 decision. Amy Loughran scored both goals in the first half. The Eagles' defense stepped up in the second half and held the Citadel to three shots.
Chelsea Kephart (Cumming, Ga.) took three shots and put one on target to lead the Georgia Southern offense.
The Citadel opened the match with a shot on goal and a corner kick. Nikkita Persaud forced a save by Lauren Santos (Berwyn, Ill.) in the third minute, and Nicole Martinoli took a corner kick.
The Eagles took control of the ball in the 9th minute and earned a corner kick. Danae Kaimuloa (Escondido, Calif.) took the corner and set up Kephart for a header. Kephart placed the shot on target, forcing Whitney Nave to make a save.
After a pair of missed shots by the Bulldogs, Loughran found the back of the net with a shot from the box. The Citadel took three more shots after the goal forcing another save by Santos.
Candace Marshall (Bridgewater, Mass.) placed a shot on target in the 22nd minute, but Nave made her second save of the afternoon.
Loughran added her second goal and gave the Bulldogs a two goal advantage in the 29th minute.
Georgia Southern went back on the attack after the second goal and recorded four shots in a 13 minute period. Kephart recorded two of those shots.
Oland cut the lead to one goal less than five minutes into the second half with her first goal of the season. Jenny Anderson (Birmingham, Ala.) set up the goal with a nice cross pass into the box.
The Eagles' defense responded and held the Citadel to three shots in the second half, but GS was unable to tie the match.
The Eagles will make the short trip to Charleston to face the College of Charleston on Sunday at 2 p.m.
