@OspreyWSOC defeats The Citadel 2-1 for First Win of Season

Sunday, September 7

Charleston, S.C.

1:00 p.m.

University of North Florida

1-5-0

The Citadel

3-3-0

North Florida

The Citadel

9/7/2014 4:20:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Box Score (PDF)

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A pair of first half goals lifted the North Florida women's soccer team (1-5-0) past the Bulldogs of the Citadel 2-1, for their first win of the season Sunday afternoon in Charleston, S.C.

"I'm really proud of this team," said head coach Robin Confer, who earned her first career win as a head coach Sunday. "We have been through some adversity the first part of the season and they have kept fighting and believed in themselves."

The first goal of the match came in the 28^th minute, where Vanessa Aponte buried the penalty kick to the left side of the net for the Bulldogs (3-3-0).

The Ospreys responded in the very next minute, when senior Jill Holdsworth found freshman Kayla Gray in space, who chipped it in from the 18 for her second goal of the season, ending the Ospreys scoring drought that lasted since the season-opener.

The Ospreys struck again in the 39^th minute, when Gray delivered a ball to sophomore Kayla Aritt, who was able to beat the defense and then beat the keeper 1-one-1, finding the top of the net and putting North Florida up 2-1 at halftime.

"After giving up the PK the team could have put their heads down," added Confer. "But they came back and both Kayla Gray and Kayla Aritt scored two great goals."

Aritt's goal proved to be the difference. In a physical second half, the Ospreys were able to hold off a late Bulldog attack to seal the victory, playing the last 30 minutes of the match a man down after Kendall Pollock received a red card.

"Having to play a man down for 30 minutes on a Sunday in the heat is not an easy task," concluded Confer "Our defense stayed strong the last 15 minutes and it was an entire team effort."

The Ospreys travel to Georgia for a pair of road contests this next weekend. They play the Panthers of Georgia State in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m., before traveling to Statesboro to face the Eagles of Georgia Southern on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m.