DAVIDSON, NC – The UNC Greensboro women's soccer team fell short in its quest to repeat as Southern Conference Tournament champion Sunday as third-seeded Furman topped No. 1 seed UNCG, 3-1, after a hard-fought match on both ends of the pitch.
With the loss, UNCG moved to 15-4-1 on the season. The Furman Lady Paladins are now 16-5-1.
Furman got on the board first with a 3:40 goal by Emily Krankowski. Margaret Antonik gave a quick pass at midline; Krankowski turned and was able to get past the defensive line. UNCG senior keeper Katherine Ryan found herself in a one-on-one with an oncoming Krankowski who was able to slip the ball into the bottom left corner.
A little more than two minutes later, the Lady Paladins scored the insurance goal and brought the score to 2-0. Sara El-Shami passed off to Rachel Fry inside the box, Fry gave a quick pass to Katie Tucker, and Tucker was able to tuck the ball just inside the near post.
The Spartans got the best chance to score in the 10th minute with a line-drive shot from freshman Jenn Partenheimer that flew just left. Four minutes later, freshman Kristin Player and Furman keeper Briana da Mota collided inside the box as Player was trying to retrieve a feed from senior Mary Kate Towne.
Player came back from the collision to score UNCG's first goal of the game at 14:49. Senior Karla Davis threw the ball in from the right side where Towne was able to get a head on it. Sophomore Kelly Attayek gave a quick touch pass over to Player who punched the ball in for her 10th goal of the season.
The Spartans nearly had the equalizer with less than 15 minutes remaining in the half. After a handball call against Furman, sophomore Leigh Riordon blasted a mid-line free kick just outside the right post.
Following the half, UNCG came close, several times, to putting in the equalizer. Two minutes into the half, Partenheimer sent a line-drive from just outside the box that sailed over the crossbar. Seven minutes later, junior Katelynn Donovan sent a left side cross over to senior Karla Davis whose header flew just right of the near post. In the 54t h minute, a throw-in from Davis sailed across the goal, Donovan got a shot off, the ball bounced out of da Mota's hands, and sophomore Kelly Attayek was able to get in a shot that sailed just to the left of the post.
At 81:41, Furman's Graham Marchman put the Lady Paladins up by two and closed out the scoring drive. Kate Myatt sent the ball inside the box where Marchman was able to track it down and send in her second goal of the season.
UNCG held a 2-0 corner kick advantage and out-shot the Lady Paladins 20-6.
In the 11 years the Spartans have been a part of the Southern Conference, this is the first time in seven appearances that they have been beaten in the final round.
Three Spartans were named to the Southern Conference All-Tournament team. Mary Kate Towne, Leigh Riordon, and Katelynn Donovan join Katie Browne and Brittney Schneider of the College of Charleston, Davidson's Bevin English and Kyri Bye-Nagel, and Furman's Brianna da Mota, Ashley Creavalle, Emily Krankowski, and Rachel Fry. Fry was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
UNCG will have to wait until Monday evening to find out whether it has been selected to take part in the NCAA tournament. The selection show is set to air 8:00-8:30 pm on ESPNews.
For more information on UNCG women's soccer and all other Spartan athletics visit www.uncgspartans.com.
AGATE
SCORE BY PERIODS
1 2 Total
Furman............ 2 1 3
UNCG.............. 1 0 1
SCORING SUMMARY: FUR – Krankowski (Fry, El Shami), 3:40; FUR – Tucker (Fry, El-Shami), 5:52; UNCG – Player (9) (Attayek), 14:49; FUR – Marchman (Myatt), 81:41; Shots: FUR 6, UNCG 20; Saves: FUR 9 (da Mota 9), UNCG 0 (Ryan 0); Corner Kicks: FUR 0, UNCG 2; Fouls: FUR 6, UNCG 7 (YC – FUR – Gena Villari, 53:22)
- UNCG -
