Cougars Spoil Senior Day, 2-1
10/16/2011 8:44:00 PM | Women's Soccer
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Women's Soccer dropped a 2-1 decision on Sunday (October 16th) to the College of Charleston in the 2011 home finale. The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for the Eagles and drops GSU to 5-8-2 overall and 3-4-1 in SoCon play. Charleston improves to 9-5 overall and 5-1 in league matches. Prior to the contest, Georgia Southern honored its three seniors, Candace Marshall (Bridgewater, Mass.), Krystin Smith (Acworth, Ga.) and Sara Oland (Evans, Ga.)
"They (the seniors) are three great kids on and off the field," said Head Coach Lindsey Vanderspiegel. "They battle for full games and leave their hearts on the field. We are certainly going to miss them next year, but this year isn't over yet."
College of Charleston scored the match's opening goal in the 24th minute. McCallie Jones beat Georgia Southern's diving goalkeeper, Katie Merson (Albuquerque, N.M.) in the wide area of the box. Jones took a shot which skipped off the post and back to Hope Atkinson in the center of the six-yard box. She finished into the open net to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.
Hayley Hutchins scored for the Cougars in the 58th minute as the visitors doubled their advantage, 2-0. A cross was played into the box and partially cleared the Georgia Southern defense. The ball came down to Hutchins just at 15 yards. She took one touch and ripped a shot that found the net.
The Eagles had an answer in the 61st minute as senior Sara Oland recorded her third goal of the season and 16th career tally by winning the ball at the center of the box, making a nifty move around a Cougar defender and placing the shot just over the diving Charleston goalkeeper to make the score, 2-1.
In the final five minutes of the match, both Georgia Southern and College of Charleston had goals disallowed on offsides. The Eagle offense pushed forward in the waning minutes, but Georgia Southern was unable to score the equalizer and fell, 2-1.
Georgia Southern's keeper, Merson, recorded a career-high 11 saves in the match. Charleston took 22 shots to the Eagles' final total of eight shots.
The Eagles close out the 2011 regular season with three consecutive road matches. GSU faces Chattanooga on October 21st and travel to Samford on October 23rd.
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