CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College women's soccer team
dropped its final match of the 2012 season, falling to visiting UNC Asheville
on Tuesday by a 6-3 margin.
UNC Asheville (5-14-0, 3-8-0 Big South) broke a 3-3 halftime
tie with three goals in the second half to top PC (3-15-0, 3-8-0 Big South).
The Blue Hose matched a program high in Big South wins, with
three. Sara Simpson (Columbia, S.C.) and Tori Lopez (Snellville, Ga.) each
scored their sixth goals of the season in the contest, setting new Division
I-era highs. Simpson and Lopez also notched 17 and 15 points, respectively,
becoming the first two players in the Division I era to reach those plateaus.
Asheville's Kaitlyn Eckert scored two goals and added three assists on the day. Amanda Knapp also boasted a brace and an assist.
The Blue Hose struck first, scoring in the 11th
minute by taking advantage of an Asheville foul. Keri O'Neill (Peachtree,
Ga.) sent a long ball through to Lopez on a free kick, who streaked down the field to create
her own shot and beat goalkeeper Heather Muller between the legs.
Eckert found the equalizer and added another, scoring in the
24th and 29th minutes to hand the Bulldogs their first
lead of the night. Erin Ryan assisted on the first, playing a long ball that
Eckert headed over Broadway. Knapp helped with the second, crossing a ball into
the goal box for Eckert several feet from the goal line.
The Blue Hose answered in the 34th minute.
Brittany Whitson (Conyers, Ga.) launched a pass into the box to Simpson, who
pulled the ball back across her body before firing a shot into the right side
of the net to pull PC even, 2-2. Whitson picked up her second assist of the season
on the play.
Simpson earned her third point less than four minutes later,
finding Rebecca Miller (Pauline, S.C.) on a through ball that the junior
converted in a one-on-one opportunity. The goal marked Miller's first of the
year and put PC in front, 3-2.
Asheville tied the match shortly before halftime, scoring
its third goal one minute and 29 seconds before the break. Eckert lifted a
corner kick into the box that Amanda Dailor headed in to send the teams into
halftime tied, 3-3.
The Bulldogs found the net three times in the final period
en route to the win. Knapp scored 58 seconds after halftime before striking again in the 72nd minute, both times with help from Eckert.
Ferriss Roberts capped the scoring in the 81st
minute, taking a Mary Beale pass in the box and sealing the result with a goal.
PC fans bid farewell to senior Alice Blackwell (Marietta,
S.C.) in the closing minutes as the defender left the field for the final time.