Box Score Post-Match Quotes
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Sometimes to win a game
you need to have a break or two go your way, on Friday afternoon,
it seemed every break went the way of the Spartans in the match
against Morehead State at Greene-Harbison Field.
The USC Upstate women's soccer team (1-5-0) picked up its first
win of the season and head coach Renee Lopez picked up her first
win at the helm of the Spartan program. It was also the
first-ever victory at the Border Classic for the Spartans.
"I am very pleased that our program was finally able to break
through and pick up a victory," said head coach Renee Lopez.
"We have been behind a glass wall and have struggled to
score. Danielle (White) took advantage of a great scoring
opportunity. It was a great effort by everyone and it is a
great thing, especially for our seniors. Our team is not
satisfied with one victory and they will continue to battle and try
to increase the win total as we go forward."
The Spartans and the Eagles (1-5-0) battled to a scoreless draw
at halftime as Upstate goalkeeper Rachel
Collins (Raleigh, N.C./Athens Drive) tallied three saves to
keep Upstate in the hunt for its first victory of 2010.
Coach Lopez made a change in goal at the intermission as she
brought in Sarah
Plantz to keep the Eagles out of the net. Plantz, a
freshman from Cartersville, Ga., recorded four saves in the second
half and also saw several MSU chances narrowly miss the target.
Upstate tacked on the lone goal of the match in the
55th-minute when Danielle
White (Calhoun, Ga./Calhoun) found the back of the net for her
first collegiate goal.
The breakaway started when Gabrielle
Fennell (Easley, S.C./Gardner-Webb) began a clear from the top
of the Upstate box. Fennell speedily headed toward midfield
and as she crossed the line, she found a streaking White who
delivered the game-winning goal for the Spartans from 15 yards
out.
With 15 minutes remaining in the match, an attempted MSU cross
nearly found the back of the net as it squirted just past the right
side post. In the final four minutes of the match, Upstate
cleared four corner kicks by the Eagles. The Spartans would
bend, but not break as MSU attempted two corner kicks in the final
15 seconds of play.
Upstate recorded 13 total saves in the match (four by Collins,
six by Plantz and four team saves).
In the match Upstate was outshot 27-2 including 13-1 in shots
on-goal. MSU tallied 22 corner kicks in the match, but the
Eagles were unable to capitalize. Both teams were whistled
for six fouls, while MSU was called for three offsides.
Upstate will return to Boiling Springs on Sunday afternoon to
face Chattanooga. Kick-off between the Spartans and the Mocs
is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
