Women’s Soccer Salvages a 2-2 Draw Against Coastal Carolina

Friday, September 19

Statesboro

7 PM

Georgia Southern University

5-1-1

Coastal Carolina

3-5-1

OT 3

OT 4

Coastal Carolina

Georgia Southern

Nora El-Shami

Photo by: Ken Boyd

Women’s Soccer Salvages a 2-2 Draw Against Coastal Carolina

9/19/2014 11:31:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Eagles get two goals from Nora El-Shami in the first half

STATESBORO, GA. – Conventional wisdom states that a 2-0 advantage is the most precarious lead in soccer. It was on Friday evening as the Eagles (5-1-1) took a 2-0 lead into halftime, but a red card in the 54th minute, followed by a pair of goals gave the Eagles a 2-2 draw with Coastal Carolina (3-5-1) at a wet Eagle Field.

Junior Nora El-Shami staked the Eagles to a 2-0 advantage just before halftime. She got on the end of a Stephanie Gratto cross in the ninth minute to post a 1-0 lead and doubled the advantage in the 43rd minute. Her second goal came in the danger area when Taylor Burns flicked a ball into space where El-Shami struck from 14 yards for her fourth goal of the season.

The Eagles looked in control of the match as the second half progressed, but that would change in the 54th minute.

Sophomore Alana McShane, covering on the goal line, handled a Coastal Carolina shot and was immediately shown a red card as the Eagles were reduced to just 10 players. Coastal Carolina's Kacey Kelley converted the ensuing penalty kick to cut Georgia Southern's lead to 2-1.

The Chanticleers got back on level terms nine minutes later as the visitors took advantage of a defensive miscue. An Eagle defender gave the ball away 30 yards from goal and Daniella Famili had a free run on goal. She struck from 13 yards and found the net to tie the game at 2-2.

That was where the match would end despite solid scoring opportunities for both teams in regulation and overtime. A string of three-straight corner kicks for the Eagles late in regulation showed the greatest promise. Gabby Watson put a shot over the bar on one corner while she headed a ball wide on another attempt.

Ultimately the result was shared as both goalkeepers had solid outings between the pipes. Georgia Southern's Katie Merson made 10 saves on the night while Coastal's Becca Austin made five saves.

"I feel like it was a great test for us and a great lesson of how to play when you are a man down," said Head Coach Brian Dunleavy. "We showed that we could keep possession and create offense with just 10 players. We did a great job of getting forward and had a lot of attacking play late. It is the sign of a team that is moving in the right direction to get a draw through adversity like we did tonight."

Georgia Southern travels to Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon for a 2 p.m. game against the Dolphins who fell, 2-0, to Furman on Friday.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics. To purchase tickets call 1-800-GSU-WINS.