GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Presbyterian College women's soccer
team opened the 2011 season with a Friday night matchup against the Furman
Paladins, falling by a 3-0 score.
PC moves to 0-1-0 overall while Furman improves to 1-2-0.
Catie Smith (Greenville, S.C.), Christy Schofer (Powder Springs,
Ga.) and Sara Simpson (Columbia, S.C.) each tallied a shot on goal for the Blue
Hose.
Goalkeeper Sarah Beth Anderson (Grayson, Ga.) took the loss
but made five saves in the effort, tying her for third place in the PC record
book with 187 career saves. She equals Sarah Price's career mark, who compiled
187 stops from 1995 to 1998.
The teams played the first 20 minutes in the middle of the
field fighting before possession before Furman struck first in the 21st.
The ball found its way to Hannah Stanifer on the left side, who netted a shot
from 15 yards out to put PC in an early 1-0 hole.
The Blue Hose came within inches of tying the match four
minutes later, as a corner kick from Jessica Kramer (Acworth, Ga.) bounced to
freshman Gracie Boswell (Simpsonville, S.C.) in the box. Boswell lofted a shot
but the chance found the crossbar instead of the net and the score stayed 1-0.
Furman extended its lead in the 38th minute as
Stanifer scored her second of the night, following up her own rebound from
close range to make the score 2-0.
Schofer tallied PC's first shot on goal shortly after Furman's
second goal but Furman goalkeeper Jessica Smith made the save to send the teams
into halftime with the Paladins ahead, 2-0.
Anderson made a stellar save four minutes into the second
half, diving to her left and deflecting a close shot away. Later in the half, Anderson
made another diving stop before Brittany Whitson (Conyers, Ga.) blocked a shot to
cover for her goalkeeper on the ground and foiled a likely Furman goal.
PC created several chances late in the second half and one
of the best came with 20 minutes remaining. Simpson corralled a cross at the
top of the goal box and fired a shot high, but Smith caught the attempt under
the crossbar.
Furman added its final goal on a cross from Rachel Shelnutt
to Megan Dougherty to go ahead by a 3-0 margin.
PC returns home to Edens Field at Martin Stadium on Sunday
to host Clemson at 2 p.m.
