Women's Soccer Goal Celebration vs. Charleston Southern
Natalia Moll
2
Charleston So. CHSO (5-5-3, 2-2-1)
3
Winner USC Upstate UPST (7-4-4, 4-1-2)
Charleston So. CHSO
(5-5-3, 2-2-1)
2
Final
3
USC Upstate UPST
(7-4-4, 4-1-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Charleston So. CHSO 1 1 2
USC Upstate UPST 0 3 3

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Margret Edda Bjarnadottir's Brace Spurs Historic Comeback as Women's Soccer Sinks Charleston Southern

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Heading into the final week of the regular season with a Big South title and first-round bye within sight, USC Upstate women's soccer put itself at the helm, jumping to the top of the league standings with its come-from-behind victory Wednesday night over Charleston Southern. The Spartans' 3-2 victory snapped a two-match skid in the series, marking Upstate's first triumph over the Buccaneers since winning in overtime during the 2021 season.
 
Featuring three unanswered goals from the Spartans, Wednesday's match proved historic for the program, marking the first time in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) to see Upstate overcome a multi-goal deficit and leave victorious. The win is the first since Sep. 27, 2005, against Mars Hill to see the Spartans overcome a multi-goal deficit, scoring three unanswered goals against the Lions.
 
Leading the way for Upstate, the program's D1-era assists leader Margret Edda Bjarnadottir picked the perfect momentum for the first multi-goal game of her career. Entering the night looking for her first goal of the season, the Vesturbær, Iceland native put home two momentous goals, securing her first brace with conversions from the penalty spot and a free kick.
 
Sandwiched between Bjarnadottir's two markers, Paige Armstrong found the back of the net for the fourth time in 2024, cleaning up a 50/50 ball inside the six-yard box in the 78th minute to tie the match. On the other end, Meghan Groah totaled four saves, three coming in the second half as Upstate fashioned its comeback.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 3; Charleston Southern 2
Records: USC Upstate (6-4-4; 3-1-2 Big South); Charleston Southern (5-4-3; 2-1-1 Big South)
Location: County University Soccer Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
7' – Back on the pitch following a momentary power outage that dimmed the lights at County University Soccer Stadium, Charleston Southern's Jenea Knight netted her first goal of the night, chipping one past the keeper with her left foot following a stretch pass through the defense from Danika Birch.
54' – Coming out of the halftime break, the Buccaneers scored another goal in the half's early minutes with Knight converting again. Positioning herself just outside the six-yard box, she flicked a ball into the box played by Delaney Evers over her head and into the net.
58' – Kickstarting the team's comeback, Upstate took advantage of the match's lone penalty kick as Margret Edda Bjarnadottir buried the attempt—her third career PK conversion. A nifty play by Nya Baccelli to head the ball off the hand of the Buccaneers' Sydney Thomas earned the try for the Spartans.
78' – Taking advantage of the aggressiveness of Charleston Southern keeper Avery Mason who came out to corral a ball just outside the six-yard box, instead taking out her own defender and Upstate's Dara Russo and leaving the ball bounding away, Paige Armstrong cleaned up the carrom and tied the match.
83' – Stepping up to take a free kick roughly 24-yards out from the net, Bjarnadottir drove home the direct attempt, securing her first career multi-goal effort with a right-footed boot to the upper right corner past a diving keeper.
 
Notable
  • Scoring three unanswered goals following a two-goal deficit, Wednesday's victory marked the first in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) to see the Spartans overcome a multi-goal deficit. The match marked the first since Sep. 27, 2005, versus Mars Hill to see Upstate overcome a multi-goal deficit, doing so that day via three unanswered goals.
  • Entering the night as the program's D1 era leader in career assists, Margret Edda Bjarnadottir secured her first career multi-goal effort against Charleston Southern. The brace registers as her first goals of the 2024 season.
  • Netting the match-winner versus the Buccaneers, Bjarnadottir recorded her fourth career match-wining goal while her conversion from the PK spot stands as the third PK goal of her career.
  • Upstate's victory Wednesday marks the 27th under head coach Sharif Saber, tying him for the most victories by a Spartan coach in the program's D1 era.
 
Up Next for the Spartans
Closing out the 2024 regular season and competing for a Big South Championship, Upstate hits the pitch at County University Soccer Stadium for the final time this season Saturday. The Spartans host Gardner-Webb on Senior Night with kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET.
 
Connect with the Spartans 
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateWSoccer | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateWSoccer | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
 
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS - Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!
Print Friendly Version