Boxscore (PDF)

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's soccer team fell short in the Southern Conference home opener against Western Carolina, 1-0, Sunday afternoon at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. 

With the loss, the Spartans drop to 4-6 overall and a 1-1 record in the SoCon while Western Carolina improves to 5-4-1 with a 1-0-1 mark in the SoCon.

"I want to give credit to Western Carolina who came into our house and came away with a 1-0 win," said head coach Steve Nugent. "At the end of the day, they put the ball into the back of the net and we didn't. We were really high up the field and thought we could create some chances but we couldn't find the back of the net."

The Catamounts scored the eventual game-winning goal in the 65^th minute after Amanda Schwartz found a streaking Laura Greb who blasted a shot inside the box to the right corner of the net. It was Greb's second goal of the season. 

UNCG had plenty of chances starting in the first half just four minutes into the game sophomore Ashley Stokes (Cary, N.C./Green Hope) fired a shot on goal but Western Carolina keeper Jennifer Lauer made the save.

Freshman goalkeeper Jamie Simmons (Houston, Texas/Clear Brook HS) came up huge with a stop on Markie Studnicky in the eighth minute followed by a save off the line by the Spartan' defense.

Stokes would have another opportunity in the first half when her bending shot was stopped by Lauer again to keep the game scoreless.

Both teams would finish the first half scoreless and each taking four shots apiece.

In the second half, Stokes would have her third attempt on net stopped by Lauer at the 49:41 mark. Freshman Zoe Fishman (Woodland Hills, Calif./El Camino Real Charter) would make a run down the left side but her shot was saved by Lauer to keep the game even at 0-0.

In the 82^nd minute, Stokes had a chance inside the box but her shot went high over the goal. UNCG continued to pressure the Catamounts but the Spartans could not find the equalizer.

Lauer finished with six saves while Simmons came up with three for UNCG. The Blue and Gold held WCU to just one second half shot and outshot their opponents 9-to-5.

UNCG remains home for two conferences games against College of Charleston and the Citadel next weekend at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.  

Be sure to follow all updates about the 2012 UNCG women's soccer team on www.uncgspartans.com or on twitter @UNCGsports.

-UNCG-