University of North Florida
USC Upstate -- "Youth Soccer Day"
Women’s Soccer Drops USC Upstate, 3-0
10/3/2010 4:51:52 PM | Women's Soccer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida women's soccer team closed out a two-win, undefeated weekend, defeating USC Upstate, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at Hodges Stadium. After the day, the Ospreys improve to 5-8 overall and 4-2 in conference play while the Spartans fall to 3-10 on the season and 1-4 in league action.
“We played well,” head coach Linda Hamilton said. “I thought we played a better second half, but I thought we did okay in the first as well. We're really starting to find our rhythm. Any weekend you can come away with two wins is a good weekend so I'm very, very happy for the girls and excited for, hopefully, the position this puts us in to make the conference tournament. That's our goal and the win puts us one step closer.”
An early goal, in the 13th minute, by freshman forward Carolina Lencina proved to be the game winner. The Buenos Aires, Argentina native beat her defender on a one-on-one before booting in her fourth goal of the season from the top of the penalty box. It was her second game-winning goal of the season.
The Ospreys increased the lead in the second half behind the productive leg of freshman forward Lauren Hopfensperger, who continued her stellar play this weekend, finding the net for the sixth and seventh times this season. The rookie connected on a rebound from her own shot off the left post in the 58th minute, and again just minutes later off a well placed cross from freshman midfielder Keara Murphy, her third this year, in the 63rd minute.
Hopfensperger now has four goals in the past two games and accounts for all but one goal for the Ospreys this weekend. In the past two games, she has taken six shots, four on target, and put all four on target in the back of the net.
“I just think our dangerous players are starting to get more and more confidence,” Hamilton said. “These are players that I've watched for a couple of years and always thought they've been amazing players. Lauren's playing absolutely fantastic right now and things are starting to come together for us. It s a good weekend, we're going to enjoy it.”
North Florida's defense continued to impress, shutting out its fourth opponent on the year and second straight. Sophomore goalkeeper Brittany Hahn picked up her fifth win this season, and grabbed two saves on the day.
Over the last 10 matches, North Florida has at least equaled its opponents in shots taken and outshot opponents in eight of those 10. The Ospreys bettered the Spartans in the category today, 19-6, and allowed just two in the second half.
Lencina tallied a match-high six shots and five shots on goal, while freshman forward Kayli Moore led the USC Upstate squad with two shots, one on goal.
North Florida will continue Atlantic Sun Conference play on the road in Nashville Tenn. next weekend. The squad faces Lipscomb on Friday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. before closing out the weekend against Belmont on Sunday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m.
