GREENSBORO, N.C. – Rakel Logadottir scored two first-half goals, but the game went undecided until Cheryl Stewart tallied her first goal of the season at 82:20 to give UNCG a thrilling 4-3 victory over Davidson in a Southern Conference women's soccer game from UNCG Soccer Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The Spartans (7-10-1, 4-5-1 SoCon) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead just 15-minutes into the first-half. Logadottir (So./Hafnarfjordur, Iceland) opened the scoring just 1:59 into the match. The sophomore beat a trio of Wildcats defenders before burying her first goal of the season into the lower right corner.
Logadottir wasted little time getting on the board again. Cara Hammond (Fr./Howell, NJ) slotted the ball through the Wildcat defense and Logadottir went one-on-one with Davidson goalkeeper Sara Hobart. Logadottir chipped the on-running netminder to give UNCG a two-goal lead.
Seemingly in control with a two-goal halftime lead, UNCG was unable to put the game away. The Wildcats got right back into the match just minutes into the second stanza. Heather Maloney capitalized on a UNCG defensive mistake and scored her team-leading eighth goal of the campaign at 45:30. Davidson squared the match, 2-2, just four minutes later on an own goal.
The Spartans regained the lead at 53:24. Amy Carnell (Fr./Lake Stevens, WA) found Dacia Beachum (Fr./Raleigh, NC) streaking down the right side. Beachum took the pass and blasted the ball toward goal, glancing off the crossbar. Hammond collected the rebound and headed home her team-leading 10th goal of the season.
The lead would last all of six minutes. The Wildcats evened the match, 3-3, at 59:28. Tara Maloney beat a charging Jennifer Stillman to the ball and slipped it into the opening net. Leigh Ann Hoskins picked up the assist.
With the match tied, 3-3, each team found some chances, but Stillman and Hobart made some key saves. UNCG grabbed the lead for the final time at just eight minutes from the end of regulation time. Hammond broke free from a Wildcat defender and rifled a shot on goal. Hobart bobbled the shot and Stewart pounced on the loose ball to give the Spartans a 4-3 lead.
UNCG would hold on down the stretch to pick up the crucial league victory. With the win, the Spartans secure no worse than the sixth seed heading into next weekend's Southern Conference Tournament. UNCG could still finish fifth, depending on College of Charleston. The Cougars still have to face regular season champion Furman and Davidson.
The Spartans close out the regular season Friday night with its annual battle with SEC foe South Carolina. The match will also mark Senior Night for the Spartans, as five seniors will be honored prior to the start of the match. Kick-off at UNCG Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
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