CLINTON, S.C. - The Presbyterian College women's soccer team
clawed back within one goal of Francis Marion with four minutes left in the
squad's Tuesday night match, but PC's late rally could not find a tying score
as the Blue Hose fell, 3-2.
PC moves to 0-4-0 on the year while Francis Marion improves
to 3-3-1.
With the Blue Hose trailing 3-1 in the 87th
minute, freshman Gracie Boswell (Greenville, S.C.) tallied her first career
goal on two passes from Sara Simpson (Columbia, S.C.) and Jessica Kramer (Acworth,
Ga.) to cut the Patriots' lead in half. Boswell received the ball and sent a
shot from in close over the Francis Marion goalkeeper into the right side of
the net, becoming the first PC freshman to score this season.
Rebecca Miller (Pauline, S.C.) scored PC's first goal of the
season 37 minutes into the match to tie the game at 1-1 after a Brittney Smith
goal in the 10th minute. Miller, the team's leading scorer last
season, collected a loose ball five yards behind the top of the box and lifted
a high shot that floated over Francis Marion goalkeeper Lauren Vetock and into
the left side of the net to bring the contest back to even.
Francis Marion answered quickly, however, taking advantage
of a free kick less than a minute later to re-take the lead. Yasmin Bunter
banked a shot off of the crossbar from outside the left side of the goal box to
put the Patriots back ahead, 2-1.
The Patriots took the 2-1 advantage into halftime and added
another goal in the 52nd minute. Elizabeth Asare made a run into the
goal box and played a pass in front that Kelly Kady knocked in to extend the
FMU lead to 3-1, setting up PC's late comeback bid.
Simpson and Miller led the Blue Hose with three shots each.
Simpson and Emily Boggus (Conyers, Ga.) also each contributed a shot on goal.
PC tallied 14 total shots from eight different players.
Goalkeeper Sarah Beth Anderson (Grayson, Ga.) made five
saves on the evening for PC, bumping her career save total to 203 to overtake
Erin Sinkuler for second place in program history. Anderson now stands 11 shy
of Emily Campbell's all-time mark of 214, set from 1993-1996.
Keri O'Neill (Peachtree City, Ga.) made her collegiate debut
on Tuesday night after entering the game in the 30th minute. O'Neill
provided a solid presence on the back line while playing 38 minutes.
The Blue Hose hit the road for a weekend tournament in
Mobile, Ala. PC takes on host school South Alabama on Friday at 7 p.m. before
facing Troy on Sunday at noon.
