Box Score Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop women's soccer team wrapped up the non-conference portion of its 2009 schedule with a 1-0 loss to the South Carolina State Bulldogs on Wednesday evening at Eagle Field.
The Lady Eagles fall to 3-5-1 overall on the season, while the Bulldogs improve to 6-4.
“I think that we had the ball more than South Carolina State and we were in our final third of the field for a considerable amount of time in the first and second half,” said head coach Melissa Heinz. “When it comes down to the game of soccer, if you can't win on the scoreboard, then you can't win. Tonight, that is why we didn't win.”
South Carolina State got on the scoreboard first in the 34th minute of play courtesy of a goal by Sasha Bender. Bender received a pass in the middle of the Winthrop defense, went past the first Lady Eagle defender and then beat another one-on-one. She dribbled a few yards and took her shot just inside of the 18-yard box and into the top right corner of the net past Winthrop goalkeeper Kelsy Weavil.
The Lady Eagles had one last shot at a goal in the last minute of the half on a free kick attempt by Stevie Lucas. Her kick landed into a group of Winthrop and Bulldog players inside the 18-yard box, but the Lady Eagles were not allowed a good shot opportunity.
Winthrop held a 5-2 advantage in shots during the first half and also led 2-1 in corner kicks.
Allie VandeWater had a team-best two shots in the first stanza for the Lady Eagles and tied with Courtney Durbin with one shot on-goal.
Bender and Brooke Ehinger had one shot apiece for South Carolina State, while Bender had the lone shot on-target. Goalkeeper Alechia Brothers finished the half with two saves.
Despite numerous chances in the second half to tie the game, Winthrop was unable to score even though it outshot the Bulldogs 7-5.
“What do we take from this game? I think not feeling good about losing and learning that if you want to win then you need to do everything it takes to win. The players know that, they have the tools. We are going to have to take this not-so-good feeling of a loss and motivate us to win on Saturday (at Gardner-Webb).”
The Bulldogs had a total of five corner kicks with the Lady Eagles taking three.
Ariel Kunde finished the match with four shots for Winthrop and three shots on-goal, both team-highs. Ehinger led South Carolina State with three shots with two of those coming on-target. Bender also had two shots on-goal.
Weavil finished the match with four saves, while Brothers had five.
The Lady Eagles will open Big South Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 3 as they travel to Boiling Springs, NC to face Gardner-Webb at 7 p.m.
