NEWBERRY - The Newberry College women's soccer team hoped to avoid its first loss of the season for as long as possible, but the University of West Georgia Wolves managed to edge the scarlet and gray Sunday evening in the final match of a three-match homestand, 1-0.

Newberry (3-1-0) bested West Georgia (2-1-0) in shots, outshooting the Wolves 16 to 15. Newberry also enjoyed an advantage in corner kicks with a five to two tally, but the team came up short on the scoring end. An attempted clear out of the Newberry end found West Georgia's Elyse Boileau in the 60th minute, who launched a soaring ball into the left side of the net to put the Wolves up 1-0.

Scoring chances ebbed and flowed for both teams in the first half. West Georgia took five shots in the first 20 minutes before Newberry struck back with shots on goal from Tiffany Kinner (North Myrtle Beach, S.C.) and Taryn Bristol (Charlotte, N.C.). West Georgia continued to apply pressure, but Newberry goalkeeper Emily Rhoades (Buckley, Wash.) made five saves in the first half to keep West Georgia off of the scoreboard.

Rhoades drops to 3-1-0 on the season but made several plays on the day that kept the scarlet and gray in the game, totaling a season-high nine saves. Rhoades made a diving stop to her left in the 32nd minute that saved a goal and challenged West Georgia's Melanie Kilburn and forced her shot wide right a minute later. She also punched out a second half shot that glanced off the right post to keep the game tied, 0-0.

Sara Griffith (Marietta, Ga.) had a chance for Newberry from close range with one minute left in the first stanza but West Georgia goalkeeper Patricia Logsdon kept the ball out of the net and both teams went into halftime in a scoreless tie.

Physical play and missed opportunities characterized the second half for Newberry. The game saw its first yellow card 17 minutes into the half when West Georgia's Bethany Austin received a caution for a challenge along the sidelines and three more followed in the match. Newberry recorded 12 fouls in the game and West Georgia committed 11.

After Boileau's score, the scarlet and gray ramped up the offense. Newberry put eight shots on goal in the second half, including a Laura Mottel (North Augusta, S.C.) shot in the 87th minute that Logsdon deflected away. Despite the chances, Newberry was unable to find a score and ended the day with a loss.

Tiffany Kinner led Newberry in shots with three, all of which were on goal. Ten Newberry players tallied at least one shot in the game, tying a season high.

West Georgia's Angie Jolly received the Wolves' other yellow card, coming in the 79th minute. Megan Douglas (Bradford, W. Yorkshire, England) and Katie Sas (Columbia, S.C.) each received one in the second half for Newberry.

The match featured an interesting wrinkle on the sidelines, as West Georgia coach Marisa Kovacs went up against her former teacher in Newberry head coach Karrie Miller. Miller coached Kovacs as a player at Coastal Carolina University from 2000 to 2003.

Newberry will look to rebound on the road at Limestone College on Wednesday, September 9. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m.