The women’s soccer team (7-8-1, 3-3 Atlantic Sun) ended Oct. 7 in a disappointing fashion as they lost a close 2-1 game to East Tennesse State (10-3, 5-0 A-Sun). The Ospreys ended their Oct. 9 match in jubilation, beating USC Upstate (2-12-1, 0-5 A-Sun) 2-0.
The Ospreys had many missed opportunities in front of the net against first place ETSU.
“It’s like the wide open three-pointer,” Head Coach Linda Hamilton said regarding the Osprey’s missed opportunities. “The guy sometimes makes it and he sometimes misses it.”
The team gave up an early goal in the 10th minute to the Buccaneers but responded shortly after. Forward Carolina Lencina scored the equalizing goal in the 19th minute as she dribbled past a defender and fired a shot past the ETSU goalkeeper.
The Ospreys controlled the remainder of the half, outshooting the Bucs 7-2, but could not manage to take advantage of the domination in shots, going into halftime knotted up at 1-1.
The second half started off with the teams going back and forth, neither converting any shots into goals. The Bucs finally broke the tie as it was able to capitalize on a poorly played corner kick by the Ospreys in the 79th minute. The goal proved to be the game winner as the Ospreys couldn’t manage to comeback and lost 2-1.
It was a brief mental lapse that gave away the game, said junior defender Martha Tracey.“That’s why it was so frustrating,” Tracey said. “It wasn’t a brilliant goal. We just didn’t mark [players on the corner kick].”
The Ospreys made fewer mistakes and were able to put away goals in a much-needed win against USC Upstate. The Ospreys jumped out to an early lead with a goal in the 12th minute by midfielder Kathryne Husted. The two teams battled back and forth in the first half, but the Ospreys managed to go into halftime with the 1-0 lead.
The game was close throughout most of the game, but Husted managed to score her second goal of the game in the 66th minute, after an Upstate defender failed to clear the ball correctly. The team was able to post its third shutout in four games. Goalkeeper Rachel Beninati had one and Megan Dorsey had the other two.
With the loss Oct. 7, the Ospreys need to win two of the next three games to obtain a spot in the conference playoffs. Sophomore forward Thea Linkfield said Belmont will be the hardest game this coming weekend, but the game is at UNF where the Ospreys have a 3-0-1 record.
“This one we should have, definitely,” Linkfield said.
Hamilton said that the team is ready to perform under pressure.
“They are ready to fight for everything.”
Schedule
Oct 14 vs Belmont (family weekend) at 7 p.m.
Oct 16 vs Lipscomb (family weekend and senior night) at 1 p.m.
