Clemson Women’s Soccer Team Comes from Behind to Defeat Charlotte in NCAA Tournament First Round Friday

Nov. 17, 2007

KNOXVILLE, TN – The Clemson women’s soccer team came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Charlotte by a score of 4-2 in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament in Knoxville, TN on Friday night. The Lady Tigers scored four goals in a matter of 18 minutes in the second half at the University of Tennessee’s Regal Soccer Stadium. It was the first time in program history that Clemson has overcome a 2-0 deficit to win an NCAA tournament contest.

The win was also the first in the NCAA Tournament for the Lady Tiger soccer program since a 1-0 victory over Florida State in the second round in 2001. Last season, Clemson tied three tournament contests and advanced in all three by winning penalty kicks en route to the 2006 NCAA Elite Eight.

With the win, the Lady Tigers improve to 10-5-5 overall, while the 49ers end their season with a 16-5-1 mark. Clemson outshot Charlotte 18 to six in the game, and 10 to one in the second half. The Lady Tigers took seven corner kicks to the 49ers three. Clemson’s senior goalkeeper Ashley Phillips posted three saves in the game and Charlotte’s Lauren Brown had four.

Charlotte scored two goals in the first half to take a 2-0 lead into halftime. Hailey Beam scored and was assisted by Lindsey Ozimek in the 22nd minute and Ozimek netted a goal from Katie Davies in the 39th minute of play.

The Lady Tigers wasted no time in the second half, getting on the board less than four minutes into the half when senior Elizabeth Jobe netted her fifth goal of the season. Sophomore Katie Vogel sent a corner kick into the box giving Jobe the opportunity to net Clemson’s first goal of the game.

Less than four minutes later, red-shirt senior Courtney Foster scored her fifth goal of the season. Foster used creative footwork in a one-on-one situation with Charlotte’s goalkeeper and was able to drill the ball into the bottom right corner of the net to tie the game at 2-2.

Clemson’s third goal of the game, and its third in less than seven minutes of play, was scored by junior Julie Bolt in the 56th minute. Bolt’s goal, which was her fourth of the season, gave the Lady Tigers a 3-2 lead that they would not relinquish. Sophomore Molly Franklin recorded the assist on the play, her 10th of the season.

Foster concluded the scoring, netting her second goal of the night and her sixth of the 2007 campaign at the 66:34 mark. Bolt tallied an assist on the goal, which gave Clemson the 4-2 lead.

“I would like to congratulate Charlotte on their season,” said Clemson Head Coach Todd Bramble. “They tried very hard tonight.”

“This was a special night in terms of the way the game unfolded. I am concerned about the way that we came out in the first half. We were a step slow and just not very sharp,” he added. “I certainly commend our players on the way they responded in the second half to make the comeback.”

Senior Elizabeth Jobe commented on the team’s outlook heading into Sunday’s second round game. “We are looking forward to playing a really good SEC team on Sunday,” she said. “It will be a completely different game than tonight’s game. We definitely need to evaluate what happened in the first half tonight and then put it behind us and start fresh on Sunday.”

The Lady Tigers will face Tennessee, which defeated Furman 2-0 on Friday, in the tournament’s second round on Sunday. The contest will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Lady Vols’ Regal Soccer Stadium.

Game Summary Scoring: Charlotte – Beam (from Ozimek) 21:34 Charlotte – Ozimek (from Davies) 38:20 Clemson – Jobe (from Vogel) 48:50 Clemson – Foster (unassisted) 52:22 Clemson – Bolt (from Franklin) 55:08 Clemson – Foster (from Bolt) 66:34 Saves: Phillips (Clemson) 3, Brown (Charlotte) 4 Shots: Clemson 18, Charlotte 6 Corner Kicks: Clemson 7, Charlotte 3 Fouls: Clemson 16, Charlotte 16