GREENSBORO, NC Four separate Spartans score in top-seeded UNC Greensboro's 4-0 victory over eighth-seeded Elon in the opening round of the Southern Conference Tournament. UNCG, which holds the best winning percentage in SoCon women's soccer postseason history, advances to its ninth semifinal game.
The Spartans started the scoring early at the 3:57 minute mark. Senior Carolyn Lindsay scored her second goal of the year after Phoenix goalkeeper Lizz Johnson was drawn out of her post. Lindsay was there to put the goal into the open net.
Senior Deven Beachum put UNCG up 2-0 in the 22nd minute. Jennifer Bronson, who was named SoCon Co-Freshman of the Year, took the corner kick for UNCG and passed it to senior Shannon Donovan, SoCon Player of the Year. Donovan grounded the ball through a crowd where Beachum flicked it right past Johnson's fingers. Then, Jessica Patterson gave UNCG its final goal of the half just 11 minutes later. Karla Davis sent a corner kick to the head of Patterson right in the box. Patterson headed it backwards into the back of the net.
Bronson finished the scoring for the Spartans in the 84th minute of the match. Emilie Stewart stole a pass from an Elon defender and crossed to Jessie Jay in the 18-yard box. Jay corralled the ball and sent it to Bronson to her right. Bronson fired a shot to the top left corner of the net to give UNCG the four goal advantage.
UNCG dominated the game, keeping possession on Elon's end of the pitch. The Spartans outshot the Phoenix 21-8 and held an 11-3 corner kick advantage. Spartan keeper Katherine Ryan tallied five saves and recorded her seventh shutout of the season which puts her tied for fifth on the team's single season shutout list.
The Spartans improve to 11-7-2 overall and the Phoenix finish the season with an overall record of 6-11-2. UNCG will play No. 5 Western Carolina in Friday's semifinal match in Cullowhee, NC at 7 pm. The other semifinal game will feature seventh-seeded Georgia Southern versus third-seeded Furman starting at 4:30 pm.
AGATE
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
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Elon................ 0 0 - 0
UNC Greensboro...... 3 1 - 4
SCORING SUMMARY: UNCG Lindsay (2) (unassisted), 3:57; UNCG Donovan (6) (Bronson), 21:09; UNCG Mitrisin (2) (Patterson;Davis), 32:12; UNCG Bronson (5) (Stewart;Jay), 83:41. Shots: Elon 8, UNC Greensboro 21. Saves: Elon 5 (Johnson 3; Wisniewski 2), UNC Greensboro 5 (Ryan 5). Corner Kicks: Elon 3, UNC Greensboro 11. Fouls: Elon 8, UNC Greensboro 19.
- UNCG -
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