TAMPA, Fla. – The FGCU women's soccer team (4-3) fell behind nationally ranked South Carolina (7-1) on a bad-luck goal late in the first half and never fully recovered as the Gamecocks were able to shutout the Eagles, 2-0, at Corbett Stadium in the final game of the USF Soccer Classic.
"It was disappointing to give up the goal at the end of the first half," head coach
Jim Blankenship added. "We missed an assignment and had an opportunity to clear it but we got caught in a lapse in concentration when all we had to do was clear the ball. We had chances in the second half but we needed to play faster in the attacking third. We had chances to shoot and we were looking to pass. Hats off to them they capitalized on our mistakes and that's what good teams do. It's a disappointing result but from here we just need to break down tape and learn from this experience going forward."
Ali Rogers (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) generated the best chance for the Green and Blue in the 38th minute when a ball served through the middle came to her feet just outside the six-yard box. The sophomore used one touch to re-direct her shot on net but USC goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo was there to make the clean stop.
As the clock dipped below 30 seconds to play in the opening frame, South Carolina carried the ball into the FGCU box and let loose a shot that goalkeeper
Brittany Brown (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena HS) dove at and deflected off the crossbar for the initial save. But Lauren Jankowski moved onto the loose ball and fired it past the vulnerable Brown, who had not yet recovered from her diving stop, to push the Gamecocks ahead 1-0. The tally would prove to be the final shot of the first half, equalizing the shot total at 5-5.
With 29 minutes remaining in regulation
Ally Kasun (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield HS) fed
Mel Arnold (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Regional HS) on the far corner which led to Arnold serving a long cross to the opposite post where
Shannen Wacker (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa HS) managed to put a good head on the ball but her try would bound just wide of the goal.
In the 81st minute South Carolina carried the ball deep into the FGCU zone and served a ball across the goal mouth and past Brown, connecting with the head of Savannah McCaskill and caroming into the back of the net to extend the lead to 2-0. FGCU would not mount any further offense in this one as the 2-0 score would hold to secure the negative result for the Eagles.
The Eagles failed to put a shot on goal in the second half and finished the game with a 9-5 shot deficit. Neither team would attempt a corner kick in the second half and D'Angelo would need to make just two saves in the game while Brown made only one. Wacker led the Green and Blue attack with two shots while Rogers,
Julia Roddar (Falun, Sweden/Shattuck-St. Mary's Secondary School/Wisconsin) and
Emma Blackwell (Jenks, Okla./Jenks HS) each added one. Blackwell would also pick up her third yellow card of the season in the 82nd minute.
The tilt with No. 16 South Carolina was the second-consecutive match for the Green and Blue opposite a Top 20 opponent. On Thursday evening the Eagles traveled to College Station, Texas to do battle with No. 12 Texas A&M but ultimately fell 2-1.
NEXT UPThe Eagles will return home next weekend for a pair of matches at the FGCU Soccer Complex; first welcoming Wofford (3-1) who began the season with three consecutive victories before dropping its first result of the season at Coastal Carolina, 0-1 on Aug. 31. The Terriers will take on Clemson on the road on Sunday before heading to Southwest Florida. The following Sunday the Green and Blue will welcome CSU Bakersfield (0-6-1) all the way from Bakersfield, California. The Roadrunners will head to Boca Raton to take on FAU next Friday before visiting FGCU.
#WINGSUPFans are encouraged to download the brand-new Wings Up mobile app in conjunction with SuperFanU prior to arriving at Sunday's match. The fully-customized loyalty-rewards platform allows fans to check in at each of FGCU's sporting events to earn points throughout the school year toward exclusive prizes that can't be offered anywhere else.
FOLLOW ALONGFor constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
TICKETSSingle-game tickets for FGCU Women's Soccer are available at a cost of $6 for adults and $3 for groups of ten (10) or more. Season tickets are also available. For more ticket information and additional deals, visit FGCUathletics.com/tickets, call or visit the ticket office at 239-590-7145.
