GREENSBORO, N.C—Second-seeded Greensboro College Women’s Soccer overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit as they advanced to the USA South Athletic Conference (USA South) East Division Finals with a Saturday afternoon victory over third-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan College, 3-2.
The Pride peppered the Battling Bishops with shots in the first ten minutes and then suffered a close call on an Angela Niles shot in the eleventh minute where the Battling Bishops back-line defenders prevented the ball from entering the net right at the goal line. N.C. Wesleyan would break the ice in the final minute of the first half as Cydney Nichols received a long pass from Kristel Thompson and booted the ball in the net from 15-yards out for the first goal of the game.
The Pride did not waste much time to respond as Natalie Habich fired a long pass in the 54th minute to Niles that set up a central breakaway and even the score, 1-1. Greensboro kept the pressure on N.C. Wesleyan in the ensuing minutes as the Pride earned a corner kick in the 62nd minutes. Off a scramble in the 18-yard box, Taylor Harrison broke through and fired the shot inside the six-yard box into the net as the Pride claimed the lead, 2-1. The Pride took advantage of another corner kick opportunity as Alexis Chase fed Keeley Catarineau in the 77th minute who headed the ball into the net directly off Chase’s corner kick as the Pride’s cushion grew.
The Battling Bishops responded quickly with Nichols feeding Munro on an indirect kick from the top of the 18-yard box as N.C. Wesleyan threatened the Pride’s advantage. However, the Pride allowed no N.C. Wesleyan shots or corner kicks in the final ten minutes to advance to the USA South East Division Finals.
The Pride outshot the Battling Bishops, 14-6, with a 6-4 edge in shots on goal. Greensboro earned a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Hannah Rice (4-1-1) picked up the win in net for the Pride with two saves. N.C. Wesleyan’s Alicia Jacobs (3-2-2) took the loss, stopping two shots.
The Pride (5-1-1) awaits the winner of the other USA South East Division First Round matchup between Methodist University and Pfeiffer University, with the potential to host the championship game depending on the result.
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Courtesy of Bryan Jones, Greensboro College Sports Information Director