Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's soccer team began a stretch of six home games in seven contests Sunday night with a 3-0 loss to in-state foe East Carolina at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. The Spartans will play their final road game of the month of September Thursday night when they travel to N.C. State for their second of three games against Atlantic Coast Conference foes.
The Spartans had the game's first chance in the 11th minute of action. Junior forward Diarra Simmons (Toronto, Ontario/Dayton) gained possession down the left-hand side and turned on a defender allowing her to send a cross into the 18-yard box. Senior forward Chesney White (Franklin, Tenn./Franklin) rose above her defender and headed the ball past ECU goalkeeper Saundra Baron, but the ball hit squarely off the cross bar, negating the chance.
East Carolina (2-3-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute as it took advantage of its best chance of the first half. Kendall Frey made a run down the right-hand side and was able to turn the corner on a UNCG defender. She sent her cross into the box where Lana Spitler was there to head the ball past redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Chloe Buehler (Perrysburg, Ohio/Penn State) for the 1-0 lead.
East Carolina came out of the halftime break and quickly added to its lead, finding the back of the net in the 48th minute of play as Frey and Spitler connected once again. This time Frey was able to turn the corner and drive down the end line against Buehler before passing it off to Spitler who rammed it home for her second of the game and a 2-0 ECU lead.
The Spartans came within inches of narrowing the gap to a one-goal deficit in the 54th minute of play. White gained possession in the midfield and made a run against the ECU backline. She dropped off a pass to senior Zoe Fishman (Woodland Hills, Calif./El Camino Real Charter) who was making a run on the left-hand side. Fishman was able to beat her defender and ripped a shot from 15-yards out, but Baron was there to push the attempt wide of goal.
East Carolina closed out the scoring in the 62nd minute of play. Frey again had her hand in the action as she sent a cross into the box where Madeleine Watson flicked it on to the back post. Stephanie Seagrave was there making a run and one-touched it into the net for a 3-0 lead.
The Spartans finished the game trailing the Pirates 14-13 in shots and held a 5-2 edge in corner kicks but could not break onto the score sheet. Buehler finished with eight saves on the night while Baron recorded six saves in the shutout.
The Spartans hit the road Thursday night as they travel to Raleigh, N.C., for a meeting against Atlantic Coast Conference foe N.C. State. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and will be the second of three meetings for UNCG against an ACC opponent this season.
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