Box Score Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop women's soccer team concluded their regular season on Wednesday evening with a 2-1 loss to Radford in double overtime at Eagle Field.
The Eagles finish the season with a 8-9-2 overall record and 3-4-2 in the conference, while the Highlanders improved to 9-1-6 overall and 3-1-3 in conference play.
Defense was the name of the game in the first half as both teams were held to less than five shots apiece. Radford held a 4-2 advantage in total shots, while both teams took two shots-on-goal. Winthrop led 4-1 in corner kicks.
Rachel Webster put the Eagles in front 1-0 in the 57th minute with a header off a corner kick. Erin Foote took the corner kick for Winthrop, who placed her ball over the head of goalie Lisa Lubke and right at Webster. She then headed the ball into the open net for the goal. It was the first career goal for Webster as an Eagle.
The Highlanders would respond to tie the game at 1-1 in the 83rd minute when a Radford defender attempted a cross from the right side of the field. Dimi Poulos made a diving attempt to save the ball, but it would deflect off her hands and McKenzie Vergara would receive the rebound. The shot by Vergara would go into the top of the open net for the goal.
Winthrop had a chance in the 88th minute to take the lead when Stevie Lucas placed a perfect ball into the 18-yard box right at the feet of Foote, but her shot would sail over the top post.
Radford made one last attempt for the game-winner late in the 100th minute when Ashley Johnson had a shot opportunity from just inside the 18-yard box. Her shot would go straight to Poulos, and the game would be sent into overtime.
It took the Highlanders only one minute to score in the second overtime to give them the 2-1 victory over the Eagles. Latrice Lee gained possession of the ball just outside the 18-yard box and immediately passed it behind her back to Vergara, and placed her shot just over the head of Poulos and into the goal for the game-winner.
Winthrop finished the game outshooting Radford 10-9 in total shots, while both teams finished with 6 attempts-on-net. The Eagles also held an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks.
“It was not a real high intense game for both teams tonight,” said head coach Melissa Heinz. “We scored first and got the momentum, but then they scored and took the momentum back. We played good tonight though. Radford got that momentum back in the second overtime and caught us off guard. We will now get ready for the conference tournament next week.”
The Eagles will return to action next week as they travel to High Point, NC for the 2008 Big South Conference Tournament starting on Thursday, Nov. 6.
