CHARLESTON, S.C. – For the second time in as many matches in its series with Charleston Southern, USC Upstate women's soccer sunk the Buccaneers with an overtime goal from sophomore forward Ashley Finn as her 91^st minute goal Saturday sends the Spartans home victorious in the team's Big South Conference opener.

Taking advantage of Charleston Southern miscues in the opening minutes of the overtime period, Upstate proved the aggressors in OT, firing the lone shot of the period as Finn's fifth goal of the year, off the first career assist from Rachel Satchell, gave Upstate the 1-0 victory.

Getting the Spartans to overtime, sophomore goalkeeper Cora Brendle secured her third consecutive clean sheet—a pair of solo shutouts and a combined shutout—with seven saves during regulation.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 1, Charleston Southern 0
Records: USC Upstate (3-3-1; 1-0-0 Big South); Charleston Southern (1-3-1; 0-1-0 Big South)
Location: CSU Soccer Field | Charleston, S.C.
 
How It Happened

• 13' – Charleston Southern took the match's first look on goal with Karly Livingston firing a shot from outside the 18-yard box that was saved low left by Upstate's Cora Brendle.
• 18' – Upstate got its first look of the first half as junior forward Campbell Gibson fired a shot from the right side that sailed wide left.
• 36' – Off a free kick in its own end, the Buccaneer's Erin Rush ripped a shot into the box where Brendle was waiting for her second save.
• 39' – Charleston Southern got off back-to-back shot attempts—perhaps their best looks of the match—in the 39^th minute as Lauren McDonald fired a shot off the left post before Bri Robinson pushed the rebound just wide.
• 41'/42' – Freshman midfielder Nora Vangsnes got off a pair of shots over a short span, firing a shot from outside the box that pushed left before taking a shot off a free kick that sailed high.
• 45' – Taking the first attempt of the second half, Livingston lofted a shot towards the box and into the waiting arms of Brendle.
• 57' – Taking Upstate's first shot on goal attempt of the match, sophomore midfielder Ellie Arnold rocketed a shot from the top of the box that was saved by Buccaneer keeper Jenna Moran.
• 62' – Charleston Southern's Daniela Contreras fired a shot from the left side, forcing Brendle to climb the ladder for her fourth shot of the match.
• 77' – Contreras came back with a long shot attempt in the 77^th minute with Brendle making the save inside the box to thwart the attempt.
• 78' – As the Spartans looked to flip the field, Vangsnes fired a shot from distance, leading to Moran's final save.
• 82' – Livingston got off another shot attempt in the 82^nd minute, shooting from outside the box with the shot trickling to Brendle for her sixth save.
• 88' – Pulling the trigger from the top of the box, Charleston Southern's Kayle Reese fired a shot towards the crossbar to force Brendle to elevate and push the shot high to preserve the tie and push the match toward overtime.
• 91' – Just missing an opportunity as they were whistled offsides, the Spartans won the ball back off the ensuing free kick as Rachel Satchell delivered a pass to the top of the box right side. Off the pass, Finn delivered the golden goal with a shot across the goal face to the bottom left corner to beat Moran.

 
Notable

• With its 1-0 victory over Charleston Southern, USC Upstate has posted shutouts in three straight matches for the first time in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.)
• Upstate's victory off Ashley Finn's golden goal in the 91^st minute gives the program its second victory in as many seasons—both during the 2021 calendar year—where Finn has delivered the game-winning goal in a 1-0 overtime match against Charleston Southern.
• The Spartans' victory Saturday also gives Upstate a positive result—either a victory or draw—to open Big South Conference play for the third straight season.
• Finn's goal against Charleston Southern marked her seventh career goal and the third match-winning goal of her career. In two career matches against the Buccaneers, she's delivered the match-winning and only goal in a pair of 1-0 victories.
• With game-winning goals in back-to-back matches, Finn is the first player in the program's Division I era to accomplish the feat.
• Posting a clean sheet Saturday, Cora Brendle recorded her third consecutive shutout. In the streak she's collected solo shutouts against Davidson and Charleston Southern, bookending a combined shutout against South Carolina State.
• As part of three consecutive shutouts, Brendle is the first keeper in Upstate's Division I era to be credited with a shutout in three consecutive matches as she's the first with consecutive shutouts since Madison McNally, Samantha Munyon, and Logan Pace each did so on three separate occasions in 2018.

 
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