BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Jessica Ferguson (Lawrence, Kan. / Lawrence Free State H.S.) scored her third goal of the season but the Gardner-Webb women's soccer team (4-6-1, 1-1-1 BSC) lost 4-1 to Coastal Carolina (5-5-1, 2-0-0 BSC) in its Big South Conference home opener on Wednesday evening at Greene-Harbison stadium.
This was the first home match in nearly a month for the Runnin' Bulldogs and only their third home game of the season.
The Runnin' Bulldogs mustered up plenty of offense, as they generated seven corner kicks, which tied a season high.
Ferguson and Brandi Arey (Huntersville, N.C. / W.A. Hough H.S.) both led the attack for Gardner-Webb, as they each had two shots in the match and one shot on goal.
Becca Austin picked up her second win of the season for Costal Carolina as she record two saves.
Darbie Kelley paced the offense for the Chanticleers, as she totaled three assists for the match.
Kacey Kelley scored the first goal of the game in the 11th minute, to give Coastal Carolina a 1-0 advantage, as she took a pass from her sister Darbie, and shot it past Chauvin.
Ferguson tied the game at one in the 42nd minute, with an impressive dribbling display. She dribbled the ball from thirty yards out, managed to get through two Chanticleer defenders, and slid the ball past the keeper to tie the game at one, as that would remain the score at halftime.
Daniella Famili gave the Chanticleers a 2-1 lead, as she scored her third goal of the season just thirty seconds into the second half.
Kacey Kelley and Sam Patterson would both add goals in the second half, as Coastal Carolina would go on for the 4-1 victory.
"Obviously, it was a struggle for us tonight against a quality Coastal Carolina team, commented head coach Mike Varga. We didn't start the match with the energy needed to play against a team as good as Coastal, but we still found a way to come out of the first half 1-1 with a very nice goal from Jessica Ferguson. The blame definitely falls on me for not having us ready to go tonight. I am confident this group will bounce back and be ready to compete Saturday night."
Gardner-Webb returns to action on Saturday evening for when it hosts Campbell on homecoming night at 7:00 p.m.
