Late Spartan Goal Stuns GWU in 1-0 Home Loss Versus USC Upstate
September 15, 2013 | Women's Soccer
Boiling Springs, N.C. - USC Upstate's Rachel Baylor headed in the eventual game-winner in the 82nd minute after a corner kick bounced stayed in the box, lifting the Spartans to a stunning 1-0 road win over Gardner-Webb in the final match of the 2013 Under Armour Border Classic Sunday afternoon at Greene Harbison Field.
Baylor's goal added another dramatic twist to Sunday's match between GWU (2-4-1) and Upstate (2-4-2).
Upstate controlled the match in the first half, outshooting the Runnin' Bulldogs 10-5 while pressuring GWU junior goalkeeper Amy Schmitt (Waxhaw, N.C.) with 5 shots on goal in the first period of play. Schmitt rose to the occasion, tallying five saves during a physical first half to keep the Runnin' Bulldogs right in it.
Schmitt and the Runnin' Bulldog defense were pressured early and often, beginning with an 8th minute shot on goal launched from outside the 18 yard box by the Spartans' Kenzie Major. Major's scoring bid was corralled by Schmitt in the center of the goal to keep the score knotted at 0-0 early.
Major again pressured GWU's backline with an effective run that resulted in a shot attempt. The ball hooked on frame, but Schmitt anticipated its movement and made a standing save in the 19th minute of play.
Defender Addison Abee (Charlotte, N.C.) kept Upstate off the board in the 22nd minute when Major got loose and unleashed her fourth shot attempt of the match. The junior alertly put sprinted to place herself between the posts when Major's run forced Schmitt to come out of the goal and deflected the ball away on the run when the Spartan forward put a shot on frame. Abee's effort in the 22nd minute of play highlighted what was a solid defensive effort for nearly 90 minutes by the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Gardner-Webb looked to create some scoring opportunities of its own, and had a good chance to light up the scoreboard in the 32nd minute when Shelby Hooe received a through ball from Tori James down left side of the goal, but Hooe's ensuing shot attempt sailed wide of the goal and resulted in a goal kick for the Spartans.
Schmitt stepped up once more for the Runnin' Bulldogs when Upstate's Rebecca Sanzsole put a cross dangerously close to the goal, as the junior elevated to punch the ball away.
Gardner-Webb fought to win the momentum in the defensive struggle, and earned a corner kick off a nice run by Hooe (Mechanicsville, Va.). The sophomore's ensuing bid found the head of Brandi Arey (Huntersville, N.C.), but her scoring bid was arced into the arms of Spartan keeper Sarah Plantz as the scoring stayed at 0-0 entering halftime.
It was the Runnin' Bulldogs who dominated the pace of play in the second half, outshooting Upstate 13-5 in the second period of play. GWU earned a corner kick in the 47th minute, but rebound shot attempts from Whitley Bowman and Justine Ibarra did not find their mark.
Gardner-Webb appeared poised to take control of the match in the 50th minute, when a foul by the Spartans committed inside the box after a breakaway run by Hooe earned the Runnin' Bulldogs' a penalty kick. The Spartans' Plantz made the play of the game, diving to deny Tara Woelfel's attempt as well as saving a rebound shot by Ibarra to keep the match tied.
GWU pressed to keep the momentum on its side, keeping the ball on attack on the Spartans half of the field and getting another shot on goal, this time from Megan Loftin in the 51st minute, but Plantz made her third save within a one minute span to deny the Runnin' Bulldogs a go-ahead goal.
The two squads traded shots on goal in the 55th and 56th minutes, but both keepers made the necessary saves to keep the score at 0-0. Consecutive corner kicks taken by Hooe in the 57th minute resulted in shots by Woelfel and Loftin, but both were blocked by a disciplined Spartan defense.
A run by Hooe in the 66th minute earned an open Arey a good look on goal, as she sent a blooper over the arms of Plantz, but the shot deflected off the crossbar and the Spartan defense cleared the ball away.
Arey gave Gardner-Webb another scoring opportunity when she anticipated a through ball from Samantha Gutierrez, but her run in the 70th minute was stopped when Spartan defender Alexa Hone chased the play down and nudged the ball out of play down the right sideline.
After a foul on Gardner-Webb switched possession around the midline, the Spartans pressed the ball forward and earned a corner kick at the end of the 81st minute of play. Sanzsole's bid was initially touched by Major, but was blocked by the GWU defense and stayed in the box until Baylor put a head on the ball to bury it into the left side of the goal from two yards out and give the visiting Spartans a 1-0 lead.
The Runnin' Bulldogs pushed forward to earn a shot on goal in the 83rd minute, but Hooe's attempt was blocked then grabbed by Plantz.
GWU's final scoring chance came in the 90th minute when the Spartan defense cleared the ball over the goal line for a corner kick at the 89:15 mark. Hooe got the ball set up quickly then launched a ball to the top of the 18 yard box. Ibarra got a head on the ball, but the shot went wide as the Spartans held on for a wild 1-0 win.
Plantz (2-4-2), the 2013 Border Classic MVP, earned the win, posting six saves as well as her second shutout of the weekend. Schmitt (2-4-1) took the hard-luck loss, also making six saves on Sunday.
Offensively, GWU was led by Hooe and Arey, who each recorded three shot attempts and put two and one shots on frame, respectively.
USC Upstate, who tied South Carolina State 0-0 to open tournament play on Friday, finishes the weekend with a record of 1-0-1 to earn Border Classic Team Champion honors. The Spartans landed Plantz, Major, and Hone on the All-Tournament team.
Gardner-Webb, who won 3-0 over Chattanooga on Friday evening, put Hooe, Schmitt, and Loftin on the All-Tournament team after a 1-1-0 weekend at the Border Classic.
Gardner-Webb will look to bounce back from its first home loss of the season on Firday, September 20 when the Runnin' Bulldogs travel to take on Troy in a 4:00 p.m. non-conference match.
2013 Under Armour Border Classic All-Tournament Team
MVP - GK Sarah Plantz, USC Upstate
F Kenzie Major, USC Upstate
D Alexa Hone, USC Upstate
F Shelby Hooe, Gardner-Webb
MF Megan Loftin, Gardner-Webb
GK Amy Schmitt, Gardner-Webb
F Hannah Wyatt, Chattanooga
MF Claire Latham, Chattanooga
D Sarah Ghale, Chattanooga
| Box Score: USC Upstate 1, GWU 0 |
