PENSACOLA, Fla. --- A goal from redshirt sophomore
Katie Taylor in the 84
th minute was all that the Mississippi College women's soccer team needed to knock off the #5 ranked Argonauts of the University of West Florida on Friday night in Gulf South Conference play.
TURNING POINT
- Taylor's game-winning goal late in Friday's contest served as her first of the season. Junior forward Lauren Smith helped set up the score when she played a low ball off of the ground to Taylor, who then fired a low liner from a few yards outside of the box into the back of the net for the score that proved to be the difference maker.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams failed to yield a goal to their opponents in the first half, as the score stood 0-0 at the break.
- Early stages of the second half saw both teams presented with their best opportunities to score at the time.
- MC saw one of their better scoring chances in the 48th minute, when freshman forward Holly Pascoe deliver a lob shot that was knocked away at the last minute by Argo keeper Grace Busby.
- The Argos saw a couple golden opportunities to score thwarted by the MC defense in the early minutes of the second half. In the 56th minute, West Florida fired off two shots from about ten yards out in a ten-second span, but came up empty on both. A shot by Deneisha Blackwood clanked off the post, followed by a shot from Kayla Douglas that was saved by MC keeper Andrea McDonald just seconds later.
KEY STATS
- The Lady Choctaws took eight shots in the contest, with three in the first half and five in the second half.
- Five of the eight shots taken by MC came on goal.
- The MC backline put together another stingy performance, pitching its fifth shutout of the season while allowing just six shots on goal.
- In Goal, McDonald notched her GSC-best fourth shutout of the season, while grabbing six saves and improving her season record to 3-1-1.
- Both teams each took a pair of corner kicks in the match.
- MC was tagged for seven fouls, while West Florida was whistled for five. Both teams also were on the receiving end of two yellow cards.
MATCH NOTES
- With the win, the Lady Choctaws improve to 5-1-1 overall, and 4-1 in GSC play.
- The victory marks for the first MC win over a top-five ranked Division II program since becoming a full-time member of Division II.
- Friday's victory marks for MC's second win over the Argos in their last three meetings.
UP NEXT
- The Lady Choctaws face a quick turnaround, as they will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 24 when they face off against Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA in a GSC showdown. Match time is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC is recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.
The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.
For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact
David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or
nichols@mc.edu.
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