University of North Florida
UAB
Women’s Soccer Drops Match to UAB, 3-2
9/13/2010 9:28:58 PM | Women's Soccer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The North Florida women's soccer team rallied late but were unable to take the match as UAB downed the Ospreys, 3-2 Monday night at West Campus Field. With the loss, the squad's fifth one-goal loss this year, the Ospreys dropped to 1-6 while the Blazers move to 4-4 on the season.
“Another one goal game,” head coach Linda Hamilton said. “The thing is, it was a really good game. I thought both teams played really well. We made this non-conference schedule more difficult in order to get ready for conference play and I feel good about that.”
After UAB scored first in the 15th minute, freshman forward Carolina Lencina beat her defender and found the back of the net just four minutes later to answer for the Ospreys. It was the Buenos Aires, Argentina native's first collegiate goal.
North Florida trailed, 2-1, heading into the half after UAB junior forward Laura McCalla tallied her seventh goal on the season – the fifth-most goals in the nation this year.
The Blazers extended the lead to 3-1 in the second half in the 66th minute. Freshman midfielder
Heather Botelho added her first career goal in the 76th minute, bringing the Ospreys to within one and eventual final score.
The Osprey offense continued to outshoot its opponent for the fourth consecutive game, besting UAB in the category, 14-11.
“I thought UAB was a good team,” Hamilton recalled. “We had to play good soccer and again, we won on the statistic areas. We just have to do a better chance of executing on these opportunities we make for ourselves.”
North Florida returns home for the weekend as they open up conference play with Stetson on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. before facing Florida Gulf Coast on Sept. 19 at 1 p.m.
