Box Score Box Score
SPARTANBURG, SC – Freshman Allie VandeWater's first career goal came at the perfect moment for the Winthrop women's soccer team as it defeated the Wofford Terriers 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Snyder Field.
The Lady Eagles improve to 2-3-1 on the season, while the Terriers fall to 1-5.
The goal by VandeWater came after a shot by freshman Kylie Long deflected off a Wofford defender and landed at her feet after slipping past the defense. She immediately put her shot in the upper left of the net. The goal came less than one minute after VandeWater had entered the contest.
“We started out with no intensity and I think that cost us a goal,” said head coach Melissa Heinz. “We were resilient and came back and played hard and smart.”
The Terriers took a 1-0 lead on Winthrop in the 17th minute of action on a goal by Nikki Siebert. Siebert was able to gain possession after the Lady Eagle defense was unable to clear the ball out of its defense. Her shot went over Winthrop sophomore goalkeeper Kelsy Weavil, hit off the top crossbar and into the net.
The Lady Eagles answered back in the 26th minute on the first goal of the season by senior Jessica Hausfeld with the assist from sophomore Rachel Webster. Webster started the attack after Weavil cleared the ball to midfield. Webster dribbled the ball a few yards and then crossed it over the Wofford defense to a wide open Hausfeld at the top of the goal box. Hausfeld's shot went over the head of goalkeeper Erika Christensen for the goal.
The Terriers outshot Winthrop 7-5 in the first half and a 3-2 advantage in shots-on-goal. The Lady Eagles took three corner kicks, while Wofford had one. Tiana Tallant had a team-high two shots in the first stanza for Winthrop, and Erika Bishop Sydney Reed had two shots apiece for the Terriers.
Weavil finished with two saves and Christensen had one.
The Lady Eagles finished the match outshooting Wofford 17-12 and 7-6 in shots-on-target. Winthrop also led in corner kicks at 7-2 over the Terriers.
Tallant finished the game with four shots, while VandeWater and Lia Gordon had three shots apiece. Reed and Rachel Blackburn both had three shots for Wofford.
Both Weavil and Christensen finished with five saves on the afternoon for their respective team.
“The girls just battled in the second half,” Heinz added. “We found another way to win and worked for that. I'm proud of the players.”
The Lady Eagles will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 20 as it travels to Birmingham, AL to take on Samford at 1 p.m.
