U.S.A.F.A., Colo. - Sophomore Cookie Day scored the game-winning goal in the 86th minute to give the Falcons a 5-4 win over UNCG Friday afternoon at the Academy's Cadet Soccer Stadium.
The teams combined for 46 total shots and 15 shots on goal for the day. AFA out-shot UNCG, 31-15 overall and 15-9 on goal.
Air Force, 5-6 overall this season, raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first 25-minutes. Day scored the first goal of the game in the 15th minute, assisted by freshman Raegan McDowell and junior Leigh-Anne Withers. Senior Wendy Emminger followed with an unassisted goal for the Falcons in the 25th minute.
The Spartans, 4-7 overall, scored the next four goals of the game. UNCG answered eight minutes later when Jaime Ableman, assisted by Cheryl Stewart, netted her second of the season. Amy Carnell scored again for the Spartans in the 34th minute when she knocked in a header from Ableman's corner kick. With less than two minutes remaining the first half, Cara Hammond scored to put the Spartans up, 3-2.
Air Force changed goalkeepers to start the second half. Jennifer Monson started the game and gave up three goals on five shots. Junior J.J. Wolf started the second half and gave up a goal on the first shot she faced.
In the second minute of the second half, Dacia Beachum scored for a 4-2 UNCG lead. That was all the Spartans would get as Wolf made three saves and the Falcon defense limited UNCG's shot attempts.
McDowell got the Falcons back into the game with an unassisted goal at 48:44. Air Force senior Mary Cholko tied the score a 4-4 when she headed a ball in off a corner kick from Day in the 69th minute. Cholko had a golden opportunity to put the Falcons ahead with six minutes remaining, but her header into a wide-open net sailed over the cross bar. Her reprieve came just minutes later when she created the play the scored the game-winner. Cholko took the ball down the left wing and tried to find Jennifer Rowland in the penalty box. The pass was cleared by a Spartan defender and went right to Day at the top of the box. Day's low shot from the right side to
the far post beat Spartan keeper Angie Rudy.
Rudy had 10 saves for the Spartans while Jennifer Monson had two for the Falcons and J.J. Wolf had three.
UNCG faces Colorado College on Sunday.
- UNCG -
