NEWBERRY, S.C. – The Newberry College women’s soccer team recorded their third win in a row today in 2-0 fashion over Georgia College & State University. In an important in-region game, the Lady Indians, who out shot the Bobcats 8-6, scored both goals in the second half to preserve the victory. With the win, Newberry improves to 3-1-1 on the year, while Georgia College & State falls to 1-2-0.
“It was a team win once again,” stated head coach Juan Pablo Favero. “We defended well as a team and we had some good attacks as a team. Our energy level was great, considering how much energy we expended on Wednesday [an OT win at Mars Hill]. It was tremendous that we fought for 90 minutes. It was a very difficult game and it was difficult to overcome our tiredness.”
Both teams took part in a struggle for ball control early in the first half as just one shot was taken. Neither team had many chances to score until Newberry defender Greta Hewett (Charleston, S.C.) served a free kick near goal 15 minutes in, just missing forward Adriana Farfan’s (West Palm Beach, Fla.) head. The Bobcats produced a threat of their own shortly thereafter, but Newberry keeper Danielle Beckerle (St. Louis, Mo.) charged out from her line to prevent a shot attempt.
About midway through the first half, the Lady Indians started to apply more pressure on the Bobcat end of the field. The ball continued to stay in Newberry’s possession until Georgia College & State was awarded a corner kick resulting in a missed header by junior Natalie Thomas (Plymouth, Mich.). The Lady Indians had a prime opportunity to score with 20 minutes left when forward Inga Woiwode (El Paso, Texas) flicked a ball past a defender into the path of forward Elyse Clark (Charleston, S.C.), whose shot was one of two saves made by Bobcat goalie Michelle Parr (Round Rock, Texas). The remainder of the half featured several other threats by Woiwode, Clark, and freshman Katelyn Luby (Charleston, S.C.), as well as some key keeper decisions by Beckerle. The Bobcats were unable to get anything together late in the half.
The second half started out much like the first half did, with both teams struggling for possession. Sophomore forward Brooke Tumblin (Florence, S.C.) had an opportunity to score about eight minutes in when Georgia College & State’s Parr charged off her line to clean up a loose ball. Tumblin beat Parr to the ball, but missed an open net wide right. Both teams put together a couple of close attacks in the early portion of the half, but Woiwode beat them all to the punch when she scored the first goal of the game, which proved to be the game winner. Newberry’s Luby made a long run down the right side of the field and eventually served the ball in to Woiwode in front of the goal, who, after a slight hesitation, drilled the ball over the keeper and into the top center of the net during the 62nd minute. The Woiwode goal makes it her second game winner in two games, as she hit the game winner in Wednesday’s over time win over Mars Hill.
The last 20 minutes of the game featured two separate attacks put together by Woiwode and Clark, but the Bobcat defenders were able to drop back in time to apply pressure. Freshman Alie Brady (Summerville, S.C.) also contributed to a few close calls in the Georgia College & State box. The Bobcats had two good opportunities to even the score late in the half, but two shots by Thomas resulted in a near miss over the top of the crossbar and a Beckerle save. As the clock made its way towards zero, the Bobcats frantically tried to get the ball into the Newberry box. The late surge of Bobcat cross attempts ultimately resulted in Newberry’s second goal. Woiwode picked up a loose ball and made a breakaway, feeding the ball to an in-stride Farfan, who beat the keeper to the right in the 90th minute. The Newberry win serves as Berkerle’s first shut out of the year.
“Today was a good result because it was an in-region game against a team that will do well in their league [the Peach Belt],” concluded Favero. “It was an important game. I was very pleased with our character.”
Next up for the Lady Indians is a match-up with Lander University on September 14. The game is slated to kick off at 3 p.m. at the Newberry Soccer Complex. Georgia College & State heads back home as they are set to take on South Carolina State on September 13. Kick off is 7 p.m.
