Team Celebration Russo Goal vs. VMI
1
VMI VMI (3-1-0, 0-0-0)
4
Winner USC Upstate UPST (3-1-0, 0-0-0)
VMI VMI
(3-1-0, 0-0-0)
1
Final
4
USC Upstate UPST
(3-1-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
VMI VMI 0 1 1
USC Upstate UPST 2 2 4

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Spartans Snap Keydets' Three Game Win Streak With a 4-1 Home Victory on Friday Night

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -  After a two-hour weather delay, the USC Upstate women's soccer team pulled off a 4-1 win over the VMI Keydets for the first home victory of the season. Nya Baccelli tallied her fourth goal of the season to get the Spartans offense going before Dara Russo provided the insurance goal before half time. Paige Armstrong scored her first goal of the season in the second half, as did Morgan de Barros.  

The Spartans began the match rattling off three shots in the first seven minutes, one of which forced the Keydets to make their first save of the game. With her first shot of the game, Baccelli kick started Upstate's offense in the 29th minute. Baccelli was able to connect with Russo in the middle of the field, exploding into the final third of the field, and slot the ball into the lower left corner of the net. Russo was credited with the assist before scoring a goal of her own in the 33rd minute of play, capitalizing on a penalty kick. Upstate held VMI scoreless through to the halftime break, allowing only one shot in the final 12 minutes of the first half. Meghan Groah made her first career start as a Spartan and made three saves in the first half.  

Coming out of halftime Upstate's offense picked up right where it left off on offense as Armstrong scored goal number three for the Spartans in the 50th minute of play. Armstrong was on the receiving end of a Dara Russo, Adrianna Pepe quick pass and fired one into the lower left corner of the net from just outside the 18-yard box. The Keydets got on the board in the 73rd minute with a shot from distance that was just out of Groah's reach. Upstate responded quickly with a goal from de Barros in the 77th minute of play. De Barros recorded the first goal of her career with a right footed chip from the corner of the 18-yard box off a through ball from Riley O'Bryan.  

Game Information     
Score: USC Upstate 4; VMI 1  
Record: USC Upstate (3-1; 0-0 Big South) vs. VMI (3-1; 0-0 SoCon)   
Location: County University Soccer Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C.      

  
How It Happened    

  • 2' - Morgan de Barros fired off Upstate's first shot of the match but it was off target. 

  • 7'- Dara Russo forced Whitney Tracy to make her first save of the match as she sent one towards the bottom left corner.  

  • 12'- Meghan Groah earned her first save of the game as she denied a shot hit towards the top center of the net from Lauren Fyfe. 

  • 29'- Nya Baccelli scored into the lower left corner of the net on a breakaway off Dara Russo's pass through the middle (1-0). 

  • 33'- After getting fouled in the box while on a goal scoring oppurtunity, Russo sent her penalty kick into the low left corner of the frame (2-0). 

  • At halftime, Upstate led VMI in shots (9-5), shots on goal (4-3), saves (3-2), and corner kicks (5-1). 

  • 57'- Groah made her first save of the second half shortly after Upstate's third goal as Fyfe once again looked to score towards the top, center of the frame.  

  • 73'- After two more Keydet shots, VMI was on the board in the 73rd minute with one from distance from Riley Boucher. 

  • 77'- Morgan de Barros scored the final goal of the game from distance just before the game was called due to weather  

  • At the final whistle, Upstate led in shots (14-7), shots on goal (7-6), saves (5-3) and corner kicks (5-1). 


Notable    

  • Upstate remains undefeated against the Keydets with a 6-0-1 record.  

  • This is Upstate's second game of the season scoring four goals.  

  • Upstate recorded a season-high 12 points in tonight's match as well as a season-high four assists.  

  • This was the first time in her career Dara Russo tallied multiple assists. 
  • VMI was undefeated coming into tonight's match. 

UP Next for the Spartans     
Upstate will remain at home to host the College of Charleston Cougars on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 4:00 p.m.    

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

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