FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, dbeall@uscupstate.edu

Box Score (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A first-half surge that featured four goals from the Ospreys propelled the University of North Florida to a 7-1 victory over the USC Upstate women's soccer team Friday evening at Hodges Stadium in Atlantic Sun Conference action.

North Florida ends a two-game skid and improves to 6-8-2 overall and 5-2-1 in the A-Sun, while the Spartans fall to 3-14 overall and 1-7 in league action.

It took less than 12 minutes for the Ospreys to find the back of the net twice and take a commanding 2-0 early in the first half. UNF dominated from the opening whistle and fired four shots in the first 10 minutes, but it was a strike at the 11:04 mark that resulted in the first score of the contest.

Michele Larrinaga attempted a shot on goal from 15 yards out that connected with the post and came back to foot of Larrinaga who would not miss again, finishing from inside the box to give the Ospreys the early 1-0 lead.

Less than a minute later Thea Linkfield carved up the Spartan defense when she dribbled through a pair of defenders, changed directions just outside the box and buried a bender in the upper 90 to double the UNF advantage and make it 2-0.

The Osprey attack continued in the 32nd minute when goalkeeper Sarah Plantz recorded two straight diving stops, but the second save trickled away in the box and Kathryn Shafer was left with a wide open net for her first score of the season.

The first half turned into a four-goal affair in the 37th minute when a foul in the box served up a UNF penalty kick that Lauren Hopfensperger drilled inside the left post to make it 4-0 heading to intermission.

The lone chance for the Spartans in the first half came in the 33rd minute when Rebecca Sanzsole cut back to the middle and fired a shot on goal. The Attempt was saved by Osprey goalkeeper Rachel Beninati and deflected to a wide open Michelle Calmeyn who finished to an empty net, but the sophomore striker was called offsides to keep Upstate off the board.

The second half Osprey heroics belonged to Alexi Zaremba who tallied a pair of goals in a four minute span to extend the UNF lead once again.

The Spartans finally got on the board in the 69th minute when a long pass up the middle bounced off the Osprey goalkeeper and Sanzsole fired a shot to an open net for her second goal of the season.

UNF added a goal in the final seconds when Larrinaga broke away for a one-on-one with Plantz and finished for her second score of the game to cap the goal barrage and give the Ospreys a 7-1 victory.

Time would run out on the Spartans who were outshot 31-7 and surrendered seven corner kicks. Plantz recorded 11 saves for Upstate, while Beninati tallied five saves for the Ospreys.

The Spartans will have Saturday off and stay in town to take on Jacksonville Sunday afternoon to cap the 2012 season. Kickoff against the Dolphins is slated for 2 p.m. at the Ashley Sports Complex.

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