Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's soccer team (9-8-3) is headed to the Southern Conference Semifinals for the first time since 2010. The Spartans eliminated sixth-seeded Western Carolina (8-8-3) with a 3-1 victory at home Saturday afternoon. It was the first postseason win for UNCG's senior class and head coach Michael Coll, who took the reigns in 2014. Saturday's win marks the 350th victory in women's soccer program history.
“I'm very proud of them and it's not just this game today,” said Coll. “We have been on a really nice up kick here the last while… We are just in a good place and it didn't just happen today.”
Western Carolina, who earned the No. 6 seed after posting a 4-2-1 SoCon slate, scored first to take a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute. Kimberly Sullivan scored off a corner kick taken by Amanda Schwartz. Sullivan connected with the kick to tally her fourth goal of the season.
Three minutes later the Spartans evened the score. Kimberly Shaver (Blacksburg, Va./Blacksburg) scored her first goal of the season and it couldn't come at a better time. She connected on a through ball from Diarra Simmons (Toronto, Ontario/Dayton) and slipped a shot past Lauren Martin in goal.
At halftime, with the score all knotted up at 1, the Spartans remained confident holding a 8-5 lead in shots and 4-1 advantage in corner kicks. Chloe Buehler (Perrysburg, Ohio/Penn State) made three saves in the first half while her WCU counterpart tallied the same.
Ten minutes into the second half, senior Chesney White (Franklin, Tenn./Franklin) scored the eventual game-winning goal. A long ball from defender Gabi Charles (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) appeared to be off target but White came out of nowhere to toe the ball in giving UNCG a 2-1 lead.
In the 66th minute senior Candice Forbes (Pleasant Garden, N.C./Southeast Guilford) was fed a quick pass from Caylin Prillaman (High Point, N.C./Wesleyan Christian Academy) to tally an insurance goal for the Spartans.
“It was my last game here on this soccer field so I figured I would go out with everything that I have,” said Forbes. “I really wanted to score another goal in my last game here so it felt really good.”
The Spartans now lead the all-time series against Western Carolina 18-3-1. Last time UNCG reached the SoCon semifinals in 2010, they went on to win the whole thing.
UNCG will face the winner of the other SoCon quarterfinal game which is slated for Sunday, November 1, at 2 p.m. No. 2 Furman (14-4-1) will host No. 7 Wofford (6-7-4) in Greenville, S.C.
Fans can check back to UNCGSpartans.com for more Southern Conference Championship information.
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