Ellie Arnold vs. CSU
Ellie Arnold
1
USC Upstate UPST (10-3-4, 6-2-0)
2
Winner Charleston So. CHSO (9-4-4, 4-2-2)
USC Upstate UPST
(10-3-4, 6-2-0)
1
Final
2
Charleston So. CHSO
(9-4-4, 4-2-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
USC Upstate UPST 1 0 1
Charleston So. CHSO 1 1 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Spartans Fall 2-1 to Charleston Southern in Final Game of the Regular Season; Set to Enter Big South Tournament as the No. 2 Seed

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The USC Upstate women's soccer program capped its regular season games with a 2-1 loss against Charleston Southern on Wednesday afternoon. Upstate finishes the regular season second in the Big South, just behind Radford, and will enter the Big South Women's Soccer Tournament as the No. 2 seed.  

With the stakes high for both Upstate and Charleston Southern, both teams came out with intensity, eager for an early goal. The Spartans continued to be dangerous on offense, as they have been all season, not only rattling off two shots in the first few minutes, but firing three shots on target in the first 20 minutes. Upstate's defense had an exceptional start as it held the Bucs' without a shot until the 29th minute of play. Leading goal scorer, Dara Russo, was able to get the Spartans on the board in the 28th minute with some help from Paige Armstrong and Savannah Noll. In the 37th minute of play, the Spartans had a hiccup on defense that allowed the Bucs the tying goal. Despite dominating for majority of the first half and outshooting the Bucs 8-3, USC Upstate went into the halftime break tied 1-1 with Charleston Southern. 

Coming out of the break, the Spartans maintained their intensity on offense with shots coming quickly from Russo and Audrey Baer. Charleston Southern gave Cora Brendle her first save of the second half in the 58th minute as well as another save in the 67th minute. With time ticking away, both teams played endline-to-endline, trading off offensive runs and massive defensive plays to keep the game locked at one apiece. The deciding goal came in the 87th minute of play as a Buc rebounded a blocked shot and was able to loft a ball into the back post just out of reach of Brendle. At the final whistle, the Spartans received their second conference loss and confirmed their second-place finish in the regular season. 

Game Information    
Score: USC Upstate 1: Charleston Southern 2 
Record: USC Upstate (10-3-4, 6-2-0 Big South) vs. Charleston Southern (9-4-4, 4-2-2 Big South)   
Location: CSU Soccer Field | Charleston, S.C.     

 
How It Happened   

  • 5'- Dara Russo (UPST) rattled off the first shot of the game, sending the ball to the bottom center of the goal, only to be stopped by Jenna Moran (CSU). 

  • 14'- Paige Armstrong (UPST) helped to keep Upstate's offensive efforts going in the first half with a shot to the bottom center, however Moran (CSU) made another save. 

  • 19'- Russo (UPST) eager to find the back of the net fired her second shot on goal while Moran (CSU) collected her third save of the half.  

  • 28'- Russo (UPST) was able to link up with Armstrong and Noll and make an incredible shot past the CSU goalkeeper who was coming out to make the save, making the game 1-0. 

  • 29'- Daniela Contreras recorded the first shot of the game for the Bucs in the 29th minute but was greeted by Cora Brendle who made her first save of the game. 

  • 37'- A short clearance by the Spartans provided a scoring opportunity that the Bucs were able to capitalize on to make the game 1-1. 

  • At halftime, Upstate led Charleston Southern in shots (8-3), but trailed in corner kicks (3-2) and saves (5-1).  

  • 49'- Russo (UPST) fired the first shot of the second half which despite being on target to the bottom center of the goal, got scooped up by Moran (CSU). 

  • 58'- Brendle (USPT) tallied her first save of the second half as Daniel Contreras sent one to the bottom left corner. 

  • 67'- Reese Beggs (CSU) put Brendle (UPST) to the test in what would become Brendle's second save of the half with a shot to the top left of the net. 

  • 84'- Brendle (UPST) earned her final save of the game off a shot to the top center from Dakota Fiedler (CSU). 

  • 85'- Satchell (UPST) fired the final shot of the game for Upstate to the top center of the goal but Moran (CSU) in turn earned her final save of the game. 

  • 87'- Beggs (CSU) rebounded her shot that was blocked by Catarina Bastos (UPST) and hit a lofted shot into the back post of the Upstate goal.   

  • Upstate led CSU in corner kicks (6-5) and shots on goal (8-6) but trailed in shots (12-11) and saves (7-4). 

Notable   

  • Dara Russo scored her 13th goal of the season against Charleston Southern. 

  • Russo has scored six goals in Upstate's last five games. 

  • This was Russo's third game of the season having all her shots taken being on target. 

  • Upstate enters the Big South Tournament as the No. 2 seed for the second straight year. 

Post Season 

Upstate enters the Big South Women's Soccer Tournament as the No. 2 seed and can expect to play either High Point or Longwood. Both the Panthers and the Lancers play their final games tonight to decide who will be the final team in the tournament. Radford will enter as the No. 1 seed while Charleston Southern has also solidified a spot and waits on the final results for their seeding.  

UP Next for the Spartans    
The Big South Women's Soccer Tournament is set to start Thursday, Nov. 2nd at Matthews SportsPlex in North Carolina,  

    
Connect with the Spartans    
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics    
Twitter | @UpstateWSoccer    
Instagram | @UpstateWSoccer    
Youtube.com/UpstateSpartans  

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