Dolphins Upend Upstate in A-Sun Opener
9/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 28, 2007
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - USC Upstate officially entered the Atlantic Sun Conference in women's soccer Friday night, but fell prey in their first-ever A-Sun game to Jacksonville forward Keri Zwikker, who scored goals in the fourth and 68th minutes to lead the Dolphins to a 2-0 win over the Spartans at County University Soccer Stadium.
Upstate falls to 2-5-0 on the season, 0-1 in the A-Sun, while Jacksonville improves to 3-6-0, 1-0 in conference play.
The Dolphins wasted little time in getting the ball to Zwikker, who scored in the fourth minute on a header that went over the head of Spartan junior goalkeeper Samantha Spradley to take a 1-0 lead. Jacksonville pressured Upstate with regularity in the first half, outshooting the Spartans, 14-4, but the score stayed at 1-0 at halftime.
Upstate's best threat of the evening came in the 62nd minute when Spartan freshman defender Brandi Manley uncorked a shot from 25 yards out that Dolphin goalkeeper Lorna Brownlie just pushed over the crossbar to keep the Jacksonville lead.
Moments later, a scramble in the Upstate box on a Jacksonville corner kick led to Dolphin forward Emme Graham passing to Zwikker, who deposited ball from six yard out just inside the right post for her second goal of the game and a 2-0 lead.
The Spartans had their chances in the second half with four shots on goal and three corner kicks in the second half, but were denied on each chance by Brownlie, who made six saves and improves to 3-5-0.
Sophomore midfielder Santana DeFreitas led Upstate with three shots on goal and Spradley made nine saves. Spradley falls to 1-3-0 this season in goal.
Zwikker's two goals give her nine goals this season, which leads the A-Sun, and Graham finished with two assists.
Upstate will host North Florida Sunday at Country University Soccer Stadium at 2 p.m.
