CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Justine Ibarra broke a 1-1 tie with her first goal of the season in the 66th minute but Charlotte (4-1-0) scored two goals in the final 20 minutes of play to defeat the Gardner-Webb women's soccer team (1-3-1) 3-2 in a non-conference match on Friday evening at Transamerica Field.
The game was scheduled for a 7:00 pm kickoff, but the start of the match was delayed nearly two hours due to lightning in the area. Friday's match kicked off at 8:50 p.m.
"The match got off to a slow start after a two-hour delay, but once we settled in, I thought we played well." remarked Gardner-Webb women's soccer head coach Mike Varga. "We created solid chances in the first half, and I thought we played an ever better second half. We paid for a couple mistakes but we will bounce back and be ready for Sunday."
Friday's match featured plenty of offense from both sides, as the two teams combined for a total of 34 shots and 25 shots on goal as well as eight corner kicks. The 49ers outshot GWU 20-14 on the evening, but the Runnin' Bulldogs held the slight advantage in shots on goal, putting 11 shots on goal compared to just 10 for Charlotte.
"Brandi (Arey) scored a great goal in the first half after a good build up and Justine (Ibarra) scored a highlight reel goal in the second half. I am proud of the girls and their fighting spirit. We went toe-to-toe with Charlotte and came up slightly short."
Martha Thomas led the 49er attack with six shots and four shots on goal, while Brandi Arey was a force up front for the Dogs, totaling five shots and four shots on goal.
Arey got off to a quick start for GWU firing two shots on goal, both of which were saved by Annika McHenry in the opening nine minutes of the match.
The 49ers would take a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute of play on Thomas' first of two goals in the match. Thomas dribbled the ball across the top of the 18-yard box and fired a low shot that beat Keely Brown.
Justine Ibarra gave a fantastic through ball that beat the Charlotte defense and went right to Arey, who's shot smacked the post but went into the goal.
Charlotte held a 12-7 advantage in shots, but both sides would head into the halftime break all tied at one.
Gardner-Webb continued its offensive pressure to begin the second half as Shelby Hooe had two scoring opportunities, but McHenry stood tall in net, stopping both shots to keep the game tied at one.
The Runnin' Bulldogs broke the tie in the 66th minute on Ibarra's first goal of the season. Gardner-Webb drew a foul in the Charlotte end of the field, resulting in a free kick, which was taken by Ibarra who put her shot off the left post into the net, to give GWU a 2-1 lead.
GWU continued to hold the one goal lead until the 73rd minute, when Charlotte was fouled inside the 18-yard box resulting in a penalty kick. Thomas was chosen to take the PK for the 49ers, and she converted the scoring opportunity to tie the game at two.
With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, it looked like the game might be headed to extra time, but Katie O'Neil vollied in the game-winning goal for Charlotte off a corner kick in the 81st minute, as Charlotte would go on to defeat Gardner-Webb 3-2.
Gardner-Webb returns to action and looks to shake off the tough defeat Sunday, when it plays host to Mercer at 1:00 p.m. at Greene-Harbison Stadium.
