Davidson Scores Impressive 2-1 Home Win Over UNCG

Friday, October 2

Davidson, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

UNC Greensboro

Davidson Scores Impressive 2-1 Home Win Over UNCG

10/2/2009 10:45:34 PM | Women's Soccer

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Box Score

DAVIDSON, N.C. — Senior Lauren Conner (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) chipped in a rebound shot in the six-yard box for the game-winner in the 79th minute, giving the Wildcat women's soccer team a well-deserved 2-1 win over UNC Greensboro on Friday evening at Alumni Stadium in Southern Conference action.

Davidson's impressive win broke the Spartans' 33-game unbeaten streak in regular season conference games as the 'Cats ran their overall record to 4-8-0 and tallied their first league win of the season, 1-2-0. They also snapped their four-match losing streak, and scored their first win over the Spartans since a 3-2 victory in the 2004 SoCon Tournament.

UNCG saw its four-match win streak halted, falling to 6-5-0 overall and 2-1-0 in league play. The Spartans' last league loss came on Oct. 30, 2005, a double-overtime defeat at Furman. Since then, they were 29-0-2, until the Wildcats thrilling 2-1 win.

“I'm thrilled for the team,” said head coach Greg Ashton, who scored his 65th career win at Davidson. “They have worked hard for the last four weeks, and tonight they put it all together, giving us a chance to get a result. UNCG is a well-coached team, with some excellent players, and its a team that the other conference members measure themselves against. Tonight, we showed what we're capable of doing, and it's a great win for us and the program.”

Playing in front of their home fans for the first time since Sept. 10 after a five-game road trip, the Wildcats used that momentum and gave the fans a great finish to a well-played game.

Tied at 1-all after UNCG's Jenn Partenheimer squared up and drilled a 30-yard shot to the near post, top-right shelf in the 57th minute, Davidson started to take back some of the momentum from that Spartan score and got the ball down on UNCG's side of the field in the 78th minute.

After working the ball around, the 'Cats earned a corner kick on the far side of the field. Junior Allison Drutchas (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) fired a kick to the far side of the six-yard box, where Kyri Bye-Nagel (Hanau, Germany) rose up to head the ball, but her shot was deflected. In the scramble for the loose ball, Conner found it on the far post and chipped it in near side for her sixth career game-winner at the 79:03 mark.

Fellow senior Courtney Hart (Ashland, Mass.) got things rolling for the 'Cats two minutes into the second half after both teams played to a scoreless tie in the first period. A ball in the 18-yard box was misplayed by the Spartan defense as they tried to clean it after an attacking Wildcat offense had worked the ball into the box. Hart was right there to gather in the miscue and fired off a shot to the near post for her fourth career score and first of the season at the 47:36 mark.

The Spartans nearly took the early lead in the 22nd minute when one of their players drove the ball into the Wildcat 18-yard box and chipped a shot over Jessie Baxa (Bloomfield, Mich.), who had come out to challenge the player. As the ball trickled close to the goal line, senior defender Sophie Funderburk (Wilmington, N.C.) made a great save, sliding into the goal to redirect the ball before it closed over, keeping things at 0-0.

Baxa picked up the win in goal, finishing with five saves. The Spartans' Kelsey Kearney picked up six saves in goal.

The Wildcats held a two-shot advantage (14-12), while also getting four corners to UNCG's two.

Davidson looks to make a perfect weekend when it plays host to Elon on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Scoring Summary
47:36    DAV       Courtney Hart (1) (unassisted)
57:32    UNCG   Jenn Partenheimer (unassisted)
79:03    DAV       Lauren Conner (1) (Kyri Bye-Nagel)