Box Score Box Score
CHARLESTON, SC – The Winthrop women's soccer team battled to a 1-1 tie with the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Thursday afternoon at Buccaneer Field.
The Lady Eagles record is now 5-9-3 overall and 2-4-2 in the conference, while the Buccaneers are 12-4-2 on the season and 5-1-2 in conference play.
“The first ten minutes we came out strong and had the momentum,” said head coach Melissa Heinz. “After those ten minutes, we did not play good soccer.”
Winthrop wasted little time taking a 1-0 over Charleston Southern in the 3rd minute on Ariel Kunde's second goal of the season. The Lady Eagles were awarded a free kick from 20 yards out, and Katie Perkinson placed the ball into the 18 yard box where Kunde took her shot while the ball was in midair past Buccaneer goalkeeper Jena Lalich and into the bottom left of the net.
Charleston Southern looked to tie the game in the 15th minute on a free kick attempt by Jen Vroman. Vroman put her shot at the top right corner of the goal, but goalkeeper Kelsy Weavil made a leaping save to prevent the goal.
Charleston Southern would tie the game at 1-1 on a corner kick from the far side by Olivia Urig. Urig placed the ball past the Winthrop defense, where Marky Boyce headed the ball into the net past Weavil.
The Buccaneers had a chance in the 57th minute to take the lead on a shot by Sarah Catenacci from 20 yards out. Catenacci beat one Lady Eagle defender and her shot sailed over Weavil and hit the top crossbar. The ball would be cleared out by Winthrop.
The Lady Eagles had a similar opportunity in the 63rd minute when Tricia Vensel took a shot from 25 yards out. The shot by Vensel went to the top right corner of the goal past Lalich, but the ball hit the corner post and bounced away from the net.
Charleston Southern had back-to-back scoring opportunities in the second overtime period, but key saves in the defense by Weavil and Rachel Webster kept the score tied.
“We got out of here with a tie and we'll take it,” Heinz added. “We will start focusing on Coastal and try to finish that last conference game the best we can.”
The match was an offensive battle for both teams as the Buccaneers outshot Winthrop 30-17 in total shots and 12-7 in shots on goal. Charleston Southern also led 7-4 in corner kicks.
Vensel led the Lady Eagles offensively with four shots and was one of seven players with one shot on target each. Allie VandeWater added three shots on the afternoon. Weavil finished the contest with 10 saves.
Lindsey Trexler had a team-high six shots for the Buccaneers, while Boyce had three shots on goal. Lalich snagged a total of six saves in the game.
Winthrop will wrap up its regular season on Saturday, Oct. 31 with a 2 p.m. contest against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in Conway.
