Gardner-Webb Falls Short versus Presbyterian, 1-0, at Home Wednesday Afternoon
October 24, 2013 | Women's Soccer
Boiling Springs, N.C. - Presbyterian leading scorer Tori Lopez got loose for a goal in the 4th minute, and neither offense found the back of the net for the remainder of the match to send the Blue Hose to a 1-0 win over Gardner-Webb on a blustery Wednesday afternoon at Greene-Harbison Field.
GWU (3-13-1, 1-8) faced an uphill battle for much of the match after Lopez netted her eighth goal of the season at the 3:21 mark. The senior timed her run perfectly to gather a short thru ball from fellow senior Sara Simpson and fire a shot into the back of the net from left to right off the dribble.
The goal for Presbyterian (8-7, 5-4) supplied enough cushion for the Blue Hose to move over the .50 % overall and in Big South play, as a suffocating PC defensive effort limited the Runnin' Bulldogs to just one shot on goal in the first 45 minutes of play. The Blue Hose were able to jump on top despite playing against a 30 mph wind in the 1st half.
That effort came off the foot of Haley Ahrenholtz (Laremie, Wyo.), who put her speed on display with a long run down the right sideline in the 42nd minute. The junior halted to side-step a defender then fired a shot from 25 yards out on frame, but Blue Hose keeper stepped up to secure the save and keep the Presbyterian lead at 1-0.
For the first half, PC outshot the home standing Runnin' Bulldogs 9-2 and put five shots on frame. Goalkeeper Amy Schmitt (Waxhaw, N.C.) and the GWU defense buckled down to keep the deficit at one goal at the break.
Forward Shelby Hooe (Mechanicsville, Va.) came out of the break in active pursuit of netting the equalizer, taking GWU's third shot of the match in the 48th minute. Blue Hose defender Kia Mattison finished a late run at the sophomore Runnin' Bulldog to block the shot before it could get on frame.
After a Kelly Kozera shot on goal was corralled by Schmitt, Hooe and the Runnin' Bulldogs continued their forward surge in hopes of tying the contest. Hooe maneuvered her way down the PC baseline and sent a bending shot on frame, but a heads up save by keeper Sydney Fontenot allowed the Blue Hose to get away from the scoring chance with the lead unscathed.
Later in the 67th minute, Hooe got loose for another shot attempt after Reynolds timed her run well and sent a thru ball toward the top of the box. Hooe was clear, and reared back to take a shot from 20 yards out, but the sophomore got too much of the bottom of the ball and it sailed high and wide.
Presbyterian looked to regain the momentum after keeping possession on GWU's side of the pitch much of the first half, but a hustling Runnin' Bulldog defense negated many promising Blue Hose scoring chances early in the second period of play. Kelly Kozera nearly made GWU pay in the 69th minute with a looping shot from 30 yards out, but it ended up just wide of the goal's top right corner.
Senior Karyn Latorre (Bogota, Colombia) gave Gardner-Webb a spark off of the bench after entering at the 60:52 mark in the 2nd half. Latorre found space to make a long run down the middle of the field in the 72nd minute, and found Brandi Arey (Huntersville, N.C.) at the top of the box. The freshman backed down her defender, then turned and fired a shot hoping to test Fontenot, but her scoring bid sailed wide of the right goalpost to keep the score at 1-0 in favor of the visitors.
After blocking Presbyterian shot attempts taken by Simpson and Kozera, respectively, Gardner-Webb played the ball forward thanks in part to some nifty footwork from Latorre, who dished to Meagan Reynolds (Kings Mountain, N.C.) then got the ball back at the edge of the box inside 15 yards. Latorre fired quickly, but her shot attempt wound wide of the right goalpost.
After another Latorre shot attempt went wide of its mark in the 83rd minute, Schmitt made perhaps the play of the match when Simpson found space to fire a grounder toward the left goalpost. Schmitt did not hesitate, diving in anticipation to snatch the ball and keep Gardner-Webb within one goal.
Effective defense by Presbyterian held Gardner-Webb whiteout a shot attempt or a corner kick for the final 17 minutes of play, helping the Blue Hose get out of Boiling Springs with a 1-0 win.
The Runnin' Bulldogs were led offensively by Hooe, who recorded three shot attempts (one on goal) on Wednesday. Lopez (one goal, two shots) and Simpson (one assist, four shots) were effective for Presbyterian on the day.
Schmitt (3-13-1) took the loss for the Runnin' Bulldogs, notching seven saves in the match. Broadway (7-3) got the win for Presbyterian, recording one save in 45 minutes of action.
Gardner-Webb will hit the road to play Big South counterpart Charleston Southern in its last match away from Greene-Harbison Field. Saturday's match is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start time.
| Box Score: Presbyterian 1, GWU 0 |
