SPARTANBURG, S.C. – For the second consecutive season, USC Upstate women's soccer closed the regular season with a victory as the Spartans blanked Hampton 2-0 Tuesday night at County University Soccer Stadium.
The Spartans got goals in the match from junior midfielder
Jane Bossler and sophomore forward
Ashley Finn with the pair scoring their second and eighth goals of the season. For Finn, her eight goals this season are the most since Abbie Ellis scored 15 in 2018.
Defensively, Upstate's backline permitted just 10 shot attempts from the Lady Pirates with only four landing on goal. Spartan keeper, junior,
Haylee Grudzien posted her second career shutout, collecting Upstate's sixth shutout of the season—the most for the program since notching eight in 2018.
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 2, Hampton 0
Records: USC Upstate (6-9-1; 4-6-0 Big South); Hampton (1-13-1; 0-9-1 Big South)
Location: County University Soccer Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C.
How It Happened
- 15' – Taking a free kick from roughly 35 yards out, junior midfielder Jane Bossler delivered a ball to the back post that slipped through the mitts of Hampton's keeper Sydney Johnson. The ball found the feet of freshman forward Katherine Cunningham who got off an initial shot and a rebound try from just outside the six-yard box, being thwarted by the Lady Pirate defense.
- 28' – Winning the ball back for the Spartans following a Hampton goal kick, junior forward Campbell Gibson laid the ball back for an awaiting Bossler who fired a one-time rocket toward the far post, beating Johnson for her second goal of the season.
- 36' – Orchestrating a quick counterattack chance, Bossler delivered a long ball down the field with freshman forward Reece Murphree outhustling two Hampton defenders for the ball. Murphree worked her way to the end line before ripping a shot from the edge of the six-yard box off Johnson to earn an Upstate corner.
- 48' – Playing a free kick into the box, Bossler added an assist to her earlier goal as she found sophomore forward Ashley Finn on the edge of the six-yard box as Finn flicked a header back toward frame, withstanding contact from the Lady Pirate defense as the ball bounded into the net.
- 50' – Earning a touch inside the box, Hampton's Savyon Hammond turned and fired a shot into the arms of an awaiting Haylee Grudzien. Following the Hammond attempt, the Lady Pirates earned a subsequent chance as Maya Martir ripped a shot from outside the 18-yard box with Grudzien standing tall once again.
- 59' – Quickly playing a ball from the midfield into the box, Sydney Tyler nearly earned Hampton a one-on-one opportunity as Kynnedy Waldon slipped the backline. Unfortunately, Waldon couldn't get much on a shot attempt as Grudzien quickly closed to snuff the effort.
Notable
- Defeating Hampton 2-0 Tuesday night, Upstate closed the regular season with a victory for the second consecutive season.
- Tallying four saves in the match, Haylee Grudzien earned her second career shutout Tuesday night while earning Upstate's sixth shutout of the season—the most since posting eight shutouts in 2018.
- With a goal and an assist against Hampton, Jane Bossler tallied her second match of 2021 with a goal and an assist in a single match, also doing so against South Carolina State.
- Scoring a goal in the 48th minute, Ashley Finn scored her eighth goal of the season. Her season total marks the most goals in a season for a Spartan since Abbie Ellis tallied 15 goals in 2018.
- Collecting its fourth Big South victory of the season, Upstate secured its most conference victories since winning five in 2018.
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