Box Score (PDF)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Francis Whitesides' goal in the 78th minute broke a scoreless tie and lifted Presbyterian to a 1-0 victory over the USC Upstate women's soccer team Sunday afternoon from County University Stadium.

With Presbyterian on the offensive attack near midfield, Louise McGirt played a through ball past the Upstate defense towards a streaking Whitesides. Upstate keeper Ellen Bright left her post in an attempt to intercept the pass before it reached Whitesides, but a quick touch from Whitesides an instant before Bright arrived left the forward dribbling towards an empty net for her first goal of the season.

"We were a little too deep defensively and out of position," USC Upstate head coach Abby Minihan said. "There was just too much space to cover, and they played a ball into that space and it was just a foot race from there. I think Ellen got caught in between and just couldn't get out to the ball in time."

Upstate came inches away from taking a 1-0 lead early in the contest when freshman Bailey Corbin fired a shot on goal from the right wing in the ninth minute, forcing Presbyterian keeper Sydney Fontenot to make a leaping one-handed save over the goal to prevent Corbin from her first career goal.

The Spartans put together another promising scoring opportunity midway through the second half on a shot from freshman Carmen Alvarez in the 66th minute. Fellow freshman Nicki Krejci delivered a pass from the right wing towards the center of the Blue Hose box towards a speeding Alvarez. Alvarez put a right-footed shot on goal, but Fontenot pounced on the ball to record one of her three saves and preserve the shutout.

"I didn't feel like we came out today after Friday's tough loss with the energy we needed to be better," Minihan said. "There are still some positives to take away because we are still making progress. We're ahead of where we were last year at this time as far as how we're playing and how many goals we are giving away, but the girls know what they need to do and we have to just go do it better."

Upstate returns to the pitch Friday at 7 p.m. when the Spartans travel to Orangeburg, S.C., to take on in-state foe South Carolina State.  

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