The UNCP women’s soccer team traveled to Charlotte to take on the Royals of Queens University on Sept. 1
In the rematch of the first round of last season’s NCAA Soccer Championships.
Last year’s match up ended in a 0-1 overtime defeat for the Braves and while this time around the Braves were able to score two goals, they still were not able to topple their familiar foe.
The game was delayed two hours from its initial start time of 5 p.m. due to nearby lightning storms brewing that were reported to have touched ground.
The home team Royals jumped out to an early lead scoring two of their three goals in the first 23 minutes of the match and held the Black and Gold scoreless in the first half of action.
The Braves came out of the halftime intermission determined to make it a truly competitive bout with last season’s leading scorer senior Stacey Scott scoring her first of the season goal within the first minute of the second half at the 45:50 mark.
On the play, Scott sprinted down the right side of the box and then beat the goal keeper across her body to put her squad on the score board for the first time.
The Braves would tie up the game when junior defender Katy Ryan scored not just the second of the game, but also the second of her career and second in as many games on a free kick from the top of the one in under 10 minutes from their first goal.
Despite their valiant efforts and furious rally in the onset of the second stanza, the home team Royals scored their second and final lead of the match when junior goal keeper Gina Ryan failed to corral a penalty kick.
The Royals doubled the amount of shots with 14 to UNCP’s seven. The Black and Gold were able to notch more saves with six as opposed to the home team’s two, but the visiting Braves did edge out Queens in fouls by one (12-11).
UNCP still leads the all-time series 4-3, with the Royals winning the last two matchups.
The Braves will definitely look to turn the tide back in their favor as both teams anticipate meeting again in the postseason.
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