BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.- Erica Gazzai's goal in the 74th minute lifted Charleston Southern to a 1-0 victory over the Gardner-Webb women's soccer team in a Big South Conference match on Saturday afternoon at the CSU Soccer Field.
"Soccer can be a cruel sport. Most sports when you dominate, you win. We dominated the first half and had nothing to show for it," remarked Gardner-Webb head coach Mike Varga. "We let them hang around and they were able to score on a free kick."
Jessica Ferguson and Sam Gutierrez each paced Gardner-Webb with a season-high 4 shots, as the Runnin' Bulldogs totaled 26 shots compared to just 13 for the Bucs, including 18 attempts in the second half of play. Despite doubling up the Bucs in shots, the Runnin' Bulldogs could not manage to find the back of the net as Alyssa Dellacqua stopped all 10 attempts that came her way.
"Hopefully we get some help with other results, but we had a chance to keep our fate in our own hands and we let it slip through our fingers."
The first half featured 11 combined attempts from both sides, eight from the Dogs and three from the Bucs, but neither side could find the back of the net and the match would remain scoreless at half.
The Runnin' Bulldogs totaled 18 attempts in the second half while holding CSU to just 10, but the Buccaneers scored the game-winning goal in the 74th minute on a free-kick from Gazzai to lift the home side to a 1-0 victory.
Gardner-Webb returns home for its final match of the regular season Tuesday, when it hosts UNC Asheville at 7:00 p.m.
