Sept. 25, 2011
Box Score
CONWAY - The Coastal Carolina women's soccer team was upended by the visiting Florida Tech Panthers by a 1-0 final on Sunday afternoon.
The loss breaks the Chanticleers' five game home unbeaten streak and drops the team to 0-8-1 on the season. The win improves Florida Tech to 6-1-0 on the season.
Coastal opened the game dictating the pace of play as the Chants were able to hold possession through the overwhelming majority of the first 20 minutes of play. During the run of possessions, the Chants nearly jumped out to an early 1-nil lead as Rylie Johnson beat a defender to the right side of the box and played a soft cross to Christina Stern. Stern was unable to get a sure foot on the attempted helper as the Florida Tech keeper arrived in time to get a foot on the ball and deflect it harmlessly away.
The Chants were once again presented with a scoring opportunity in the first half due to its play on the defensive end. After Coastal picked off a wayward Panther pass, Shelby Evans received a pass on the left flank and drove to the left corner of the '18 where she ripped a blast that would be saved by the Panthers' Mist Eliasdottir.
Florida Tech would score the eventual game winner with 42 seconds remaining in the first period off the foot of Brittany Comeau. The Panthers' Chelsea Pushman initiated the scoring opportunity as she was able to advance behind the Coastal backline and fire off a one-v-one shot that was saved by Saundra Baron. Comeau, who was trailing the play, collected the rebound and launched an unimpeded shot to the upper left corner of the net.
Coastal was afforded a prime scoring opportunity in the 56' as Eliasdottir went down after attempting to punch out a cross leaving an open net for the Chanticleers. Chelsea Strange corralled the loose ball and uncorked a blast, her sixth of the season, from 7-yards out toward the net. However, Florida Tech's Carlene Harrison had dropped into the open net and headed the ball away to preserve the 1-0 score.
The teams would exchange possession throughout the remainder of the half with neither securing scoring opportunities.
Florida Tech finished the match with a slight 11-7 edge in shots and a 3-2 advantage in shots on goal, while Coastal owned a 3-0 margin in corner kicks. Baron recorded two saves to Eliasdottir's one.
Coastal will open the conference season on the road at Liberty on Sept. 29 followed by a match at High Point (Oct.1) as the Chants look to defend their Big South regular season title.
