CULLOWHEE, NC Playing in its second consecutive road game, the UNC Greensboro women's soccer team (5-3-0) rallied for two second half goals, catapulting the Spartans to a 2-1 victory over Western Carolina in the opening contest of the Southern Conference schedule. The win marked the ninth consecutive season the Spartans have won their Southern Conference season opener.
Western Carolina wasted little time grabbing the early lead as the Catamounts scored the game's first goal just over 11 minutes into the contest. WCU defender Arlan Whittle recorded her first goal of the season to give the homestanding Catamounts the one goal advantage following a corner kick from Meghan Reilly. The Spartans outshot Western Carolina 7-5 in the opening stanza, but still trailed 1-0 at intermission.
UNCG tied the game at one goal apiece in the 60th minute when Dacia Beachum struck for her second goal of the season on an assist from Nicollette DeLaine. The goal was the first goal scored by an opponent at WCU's new Catamount Athletic Complex along with Beachum's 15th career goal at UNCG, lifting her into 17th place on the school's all-time goals scored list.
With less than nine minutes remaining in the game, junior Deven Beachum picked a perfect time to net her first goal of the season as she scored the game-winning goal for the Spartans. DeLaine picked up her second assist on the night, giving the Raleigh, NC, native her team-leading fifth assist of the season.
“Tonight was a very good win in conference,” head coach Eddie Radwanski said. “Western Carolina is a very good team with a lot of energy and intensity. The girls did a good job of rebounding after what was not the best first half of play, but we found a way to get the game won because we competed.”
UNCG returns to the UNCG Soccer Stadium Sunday afternoon when the Spartans play host to the College of Charleston to wrap up UNCG's 2005 Homecoming/Fall Fest activities. Game time between the Spartans and Cougars is set for 1 pm.
AGATE:
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
UNC Greensboro...... 0 2 2
Western Carolina.... 1 0 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 11:35 WCU Arlan Whittle (1) (Emily Pierce;Meghan Reilly)
2. 59:14 UNCG Dacia Beachum (2) (Nicollette DeLaine)
3. 81:13 UNCG Deven Beachum (2) (Nicollette DeLaine)
Shots: UNC Greensboro 14, Western Carolina 13
Saves: UNC Greensboro 4 (Jennifer Stillman 3; TEAM 1), Western Carolina 6 (Alesha Row 6)
- UNCG -
