CONWAY – The Coastal Carolina women's soccer team fell in double overtime to the Sun Belt's top team in South Alabama at the CCU Soccer Stadium on Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the Chanticleers fall to 5-7-2 overall and 3-3-1 in conference action while the Jaguars improved to 11-3-2 on the season and 6-1-1 in Sun Belt play.
On paper, Coastal was outmanned, but when it came time to play the Chanticleers wanted to keep the momentum they gained from the win on Friday night when they honored their seniors on Senior Night.
CCU took the early lead when junior midfielder
Sunny Sigurvinsdottir scored her sixth goal on the season in the seventh minute after sending the ball into the box on a corner kick attempt and ended up getting the score. The attempt on the far right-side looked like a crossing pass, but the ball was misplayed by the defense and bounded into the back of the net for the tally and 1-0 lead.
The Chanticleers outshot USA 9-6 in the opening stanza and was able to hold onto the 1-0 lead going into the second half thanks to a couple of great saves by
Rylee Atteberry in goal. Of the two first period saves, the Jags Briana Morris sent a shot that the junior goalkeeper from Aurora, Colo. had to make a diving stop on to keep the 1-0 lead for CCU.
Morris, the Sun Belt leading goal scorer, finally put South Alabama on the scoreboard in the 67th minute. Gracie Wilson sent a crossing pass to the middle of the box, allowing the Hoover, Ala. senior to even the match up at 1-1.
Coastal would retake the lead after a corner kick attempt that the defense of the Jags were unable to clear in the 77th minute. Sigurvinsdottir signaled for the corner kick.
Gabby Smychynsky blocked an attempt by the defense to clear the ball and was able to boot the ball past the diving Jaguar goalkeeper for the 2-1 advantage.
South Alabama would knot the match up at 2-2 in the 81st minute when Wilson scored a controversial goal as the Chants' goalkeeper was unable to hold onto the ball after a second diving save off an Olivia Wilkes' shot. The Jags appeared to be offsides on the goal, but the play stood to tie the match up at 2-2.
The first overtime period saw each team trading possession with the Jaguars getting two shots off to the one by Coastal.
Morris would hit her 12th goal of the year for the game-winner in the 107th minute after gathering the ball just past the midfield. The senior forward dribbled through the CCU defense before firing off a shot that was partially blocked and sent the ball away from Atteberry, who could do nothing but watch it hit the back of the net.
The Chanticleers will return to action on Friday, Oct. 18, as Texas State pays a visit to the CCU Soccer Stadium on the campus of Coastal Carolina. The opening kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
For complete coverage of CCU women's soccer, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalWSoccer (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at goccusports.com.
