Sydney Thomas
Joshua Ragsdale
Sydney Thomas
1
UNC Asheville UNCA (3-8-3, 1-4-1)
2
Winner USC Upstate UPST (7-3-3, 5-1-0)
UNC Asheville UNCA
(3-8-3, 1-4-1)
1
Final
2
USC Upstate UPST
(7-3-3, 5-1-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNC Asheville UNCA 0 1 1
USC Upstate UPST 0 2 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Spartans Secure Fourth Straight Big South Conference Win After Downing the Dogs 2-1

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate retains its seat at the top of the Big South conference after advancing its overall record to 7-3-3 and Big South record to 5-1-0 with a 2-1 win over UNC Asheville at County University Soccer Stadium. Upstate women's soccer is the first soccer team in the Big South Conference (men or women) to reach five wins. The win over UNC Asheville is the fourth win in a row for Upstate which hasn't been achieved since 2003.   

UNC Asheville struck first, claiming the first three shots of the game, but Upstate remained vigilant and ready for the Bulldogs offense. Morgan de Barros recorded the first shot for Upstate but hit one too high over the cross bar. An endline-to-endline first half would result in a 0-0 tie with 45 minutes remaining and the victory up for grabs for either team. Upstate showed promise in the first half with eight shots compared to UNC Asheville's five and three saves compared to the Bulldogs' one.  

The Spartans came out of halftime with intensity as Ellie Arnold and Ashley Finn would get shots off just minutes into the second half. It would be Ashley Finn who put Upstate on the board in the 54th minute of play, after picking off a Bulldog pass from the center back. Sydney Thomas extended the Spartan lead in the 73rd minute of play, as she rebounded a shot from Dara Russo, who collided with the Asheville keeper. Thomas had a one touch, right-footed finish to the back post which hit off the frame and into the opposite corner of the net. Refusing to go down easy, the Bulldogs were able to get one in the back of the net in the 85th minute off a through ball to Kaiya Boyd. With just over five minutes remaining, the Spartans defended their home field and kept Asheville at one until the final whistle.  

Following the win head coach Sharif Saber said, "Tonight was another step forward in the growth of this program. Against a very well coached UNCA, our players did a wonderful job of adjusting and adapting throughout the match. Tonight was a total team effort in every sense of the word". 

 
   
Game Information   
Score: Upstate 2, UNC Asheville 1 
Records: USC Upstate (7-3-3; 5-1-0 Big South); UNC Asheville (3-8-3; 1-4-1 Big South)  
Location: County University Soccer Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C.  
   
How It Happened  

  • 6'– Azalea Mihailovich (UNCA) claims the first two shots of the game but neither find the frame.   

  • 7'- Cora Brendle (UPST) records her first save of the game off Ashley Macfarlane's (UNCA) shot to the bottom center of the goal.  

  • 8'-Morgan de Barros (UPST) records the first Upstate shot but aims just above the cross bar.  

  • 27'- Ellie Arnold and Ashley Finn (UPST) take back-to-back shots looking to give Upstate the lead but neither are able to find the net.  

  • 41'- Dara Russo (UPST) looks to get one in just before the half but Bronwyn Luitwieler denied the Spartans the lead going into the second half.  

  • At halftime, Upstate led Asheville in shots (8-5) and saves (3-1), but trailed in corner kicks (1-0).  

  • 48'- Emily Sanders (UPST) was quick to try to get Upstate's offense firing again with a shot right out of halftime, but the save was made by Levush (LU).  

  • 53'- Ashley Finn (UPST) fires one from 25-yards out looking to out Upstate on the board but finds the right post while drawing the Bulldogs keeper to try to make a diving save. 

  • 54'- Finn applies pressure to the Bulldog backline and intercepting a pass from the Bulldogs' center back. Finn drives into the 18-yard-box and finishes to the far low corner of the goal.  

  • 73'- Sydney Thomas (UPST) rebounds a shot from Dara Russo after she collides with the keeper. Thomas slots the ball to the far post and into the net with a one touch, right-footed finish.  

  • 85'- Kaiya Boy (UNCA) gets on the end of a through ball and is able to finish front post to make the game 2-1 with Upstate leading.  

  • At the final whistle, Upstate led UNC Asheville in shots (19-15) and saves (6-4), but trailed in shots on goal (7-6), and corner kicks (2-1).  

Notable  

  • Ashley Finn recorded her second goal of the season, the 11th of her career 

  • Finn recorded a season-high of six shots  

  • Sydney Thomas recorded her second goal of the season 

  • Her goal tonight was Sydney Thomas' second game winning goal 

  • Morgan de Barros recorded her third game start and a season-high 57 minutes of play 

  • Upstate ties its program high of five conference wins in a season 

  • Upstate ties last year's number of home wins (4) 

UP Next for the Spartans   
Upstate packs up to travel to Buies Creek, North Carolina to take on the Fighting Camels of Campbell University on Saturday, October 15th at 7:00 p.m. 
   

JOIN UP   
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes! Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!   

GET INVOLVED     

Want to be a ball kid for USC Upstate Soccer? Kids ages 10 and up can help the Spartans all season long by retrieving game balls on the sidelines during home men's and women's soccer matches at County-University Soccer Stadium. Click here for more details.     

   
   
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