Women’s soccer starts strong at 2-1, rolls consecutive shutouts
Posted by The Skyliner on September 10th, 2008Paul Conner
Staff Writer
Ashlyn Henderson, freshman health promotion and wellness, netted two goals as the women’s soccer team defeated Columbia College 4-0 at Pepsi Stadium on Saturday morning. The men’s team was in action Friday night, dropping a 4-1 decision to Clearwater Christian College.
For the Lady Crusaders, the win was their first home victory since 2006 and came right on the heels of a 2-0 win over Converse, the first win for new head coach Jesse McCormick.
“I’m really happy with the way they played, coming out and working hard and winning 50-50 balls,” said McCormick. “At first we were working hard, but we were kind of forcing stuff. After the first goal, we started to settle down, and we really started controlling the game.”
Henderson, Kaeleigh Meara, junior sport management, and Danielle Duff, junior sport management, all found the back of the net in the first half, giving North Greenville a 3-0 lead heading into halftime. The squad showed no mercy in the second half, continuing to pressure Columbia into turnovers. They also consistently created scoring chances, and Henderson beat the keeper for the second time with 25 minutes left in the match.
“When we were up 3-0 at halftime, we didn’t sit back and think that we had the game in our hands,” McCormick said. “We’re pleased with the team working hard throughout the whole game and not letting up.”
The Lady Crusaders travel to Montreat today for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff.
After winning their season opener 5-0 over Toccoa Falls, the men’s team has lost two in a row, both at home. Last Wednesday, North Greenville fell to Montreat 2-0 in a hard-fought contest. Last Friday, they went down to Clearwater 4-1 in a match that frustrated coach Chad Gfeller.
“I thought we wasted an opportunity,” said Gfeller. “I thought we were better than the other team, but we just didn’t execute. There’s really no excuse for the way we played. We came out and dominated the first 15 minutes of the game, and then we gave up a goal and lost our composure, and we started making bad decisions.”
The Crusaders produced the majority of the game’s scoring chances in the first half hour but could not capitalize on the opportunities. With nine minutes left in the half, Clearwater’s Bill Carlton took advantage of a defensive mistake and beat keeper Nick Williams, freshman print media, for the first goal. Three minutes later, Williams saved the first shot by Carl Lassegue, but Adam Stallings finished the rebound for Clearwater. North Greenville’s lone goal came in the second half from Kyle Walden, senior sport management.
“The composure wasn’t there, and we struggled all over the field,” Gfeller said. “They didn’t technically win that game. We gave it to them. We made mistakes that were game-deciding, and they took advantage and made us pay for them.”
The Crusaders will host Lander on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pepsi Stadium in their last home game until Oct. 22.
Tags: Fall 2008, Vol. 108 Fall - Issue 1