Category | Sports

Soccer season comes to an end

Published on November 17, 2009 by Ben Hampton

The Demon Deacons proved to be too much for the Owls as the Atlantic Sun champions lost to Wake Forest University 2-0 last Friday in the first round of the 2009 Women’s College Cup at Spry Stadium.

“I am very proud of my team,” said senior defender Bridget Gaughan. “Even though we lost, we played well after we settled down. This was a great experience, and I’m so happy to have made it this far in my last season.”

For the Owls (11-7-0), this was their second trip to the NCAA tournament in three years. Wake Forest (15-5-2) made their 14th straight appearance.

The scoring came early in the match with Wake Forest’s junior midfielder Casey Luckhurst providing both goals, finding the back of the net in the third minute and again in the 15th minute. Allie Sadow and Kaley Fountain provided assists.

With plenty of time on the clock, the Owls had a chance to get back in the game, but Wake Forest found a way to hold on to a two-goal margin in front of the home crowd.

In the seventh minute the Owls narrowly escaped going down three goals when A-Sun tournament MVP Staci Pugh came up with a great save off a shot by Marisa Park. The ball was deflected to Fountain but her shot sailed right.

Much of the second half was wrapped up in the midfield as both teams combined for just seven shots.

The black and gold managed two shots on goal, both coming from Caitlin Dingle. KSU’s best chance on goal came in the 77th minute when Brittany Vining crossed a ball to Dingle, who put a shot to the near post, but a diving Amanda Barasha kept her goal empty.

It was disappointing for KSU to exit this year’s tournament in the first round, but the program made some major accomplishments this year. They were the regular season Atlantic Sun champs and they represented the conference in the national tournament.