UNC Greensboro and Western Carolina Advance

SLIDESHOW - Semifinal 1

 

(1) UNC Greensboro 0, (5) Furman 0
UNCG Advances, 4-2 on PK

 

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. ? After 110 minutes of scoreless play, top-seeded UNC Greensboro and No. 5 Furman went to penalty kicks to decide the opening semifinal of the 2008 Southern Conference Women’s Soccer Championships, where the Spartans advanced 4-2 on penalty kicks. 

 

UNC Greensboro’s Kelsey Kearney, the SoCon first team all-conference goalkeeper, made two saves during the penalty kicks to send the Spartans to the championship game Sunday afternoon.  Lauren Lopez, Katelynn Donovan, Jenn Partenheimer and Kristin Player all converted on penalty kicks for UNCG. 

 

Furman’s Margaret Antonik connected on the first PK attempt for Furman, but Kate Myatt and Martha Hall saw their shots saved by Kearney.  Katya Gokhman had the final tally for Furman during the PK session.

 

The Paladins (14-6-2) nearly ended the game in the second minute of overtime as Martha Hall fired a shot from above the box that hit the crossbar just 1:18 into the extra session.  That proved to be the best chance for either team during the sudden-victory phase of the game.

 

Furman nearly got on the board in the 13^th minute when Katya Gokhman fired a shot from inside the box that hit the right post and deflected back into play before the Spartans were able to clear it.  The Paladins kept up the attack midway through the first stanza as Hall fired a shot from 10 yards out that forced Kearney to make a diving save. 

 

The Paladins continued their attack as just two minutes later, Furman had its third quality scoring chance of the half as Margaret Antonik carried the ball up the right side and sent a pass to the left of the goal where Sara El-Shami’s header just bounced wide of the post and out of bounds.

 

Furman held an 8-1 advantage over UNC Greensboro (16-4-2) in shots and 3-0 in corner kicks during the first half.

 

After both teams carried possession throughout the second half, Gokham nearly ended the game with five seconds remaining when she took a shot from just inside the top of the box, but Kearney reached out with her right hand and deflected the ball back into the field of play as time expired.

 

Furman carried a 14-4 advantage in shots into overtime.

 

 

SLIDESHOW - Semifinal 2

 

(2) Western Carolina 1, (3) Samford 0

 

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. ? Western Carolina’s Rachel Shomper scored a goal in the 51^st minute to lift the Lady Catamounts to a 1-0 victory over the Samford Bulldogs in the second semifinal of the 2008 Southern Conference Women’s Soccer Championships.  WCU advances to face UNC Greensboro in the championship game Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.

 

Shomper collected the ball in a crowd inside the Samford box and was able to chip an arcing shot over a defender which just dropped in net over the outstretched arm of Alyssa Whitehead.  Nikki Lombardo earned her second off assist on the season on Shomper’s goal.

 

Both teams battled for control of the midfield during the opening half.  Neither team was able to must much offense, as both WCU (13-8-1) and Samford recorded just one shot in the opening half.

 

Western Carolina finished the game with a 5-4 advantage in shots.  Samford (9-9-3) and WCU each recorded three corner kicks during the match. 

 

Caitlin Williams made four saves in goal for Western Carolina, while Samford’s Alyssa Whitehead was credited with one save in the game.

 

 

Sunday ? November 9

Women’s Soccer Tournament Championship Game

Patriots Point Soccer Stadium

 

1:00 p.m. ? (1) UNC Greensboro vs. (2) Western Carolina