University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
0-1-0, 0-1-0
Campbell
1-1-0, 1-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| UNC Asheville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Women’s soccer drops overtime heartbreaker to Campbell
02.21.2021 | Women's Soccer
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Having not played an official game since October 26, 2019, the UNC Asheville women's soccer team opened its spring 2021 season against Campbell on Sunday afternoon, falling 1-0 with just seconds left in the first overtime on Greenwood Field.
Although the Camels had more possession time and registered 14 shots on goal, the Bulldogs' gritty effort and stellar play from goalkeeper Bronwyn Luitwieler made Campbell earn everything on Sunday, forcing many of those shots to come from well outside the 18.
"Campbell is a team that we knew was going to pressure, and we knew that was going to be pretty constant," said UNC Asheville Head Coach Clifton Bush. "But we limited them to a lot of low-percentage shooting opportunities, so even though the stats might look a little one-sided, that was the gameplan and I'm proud of the effort by the ladies today."
Alice Walker, Lindie Clark and Madison Carter all registered shots while Luitwieler, a junior from Rome, Georgia, snagged a career-high 12 saves in her first start since 2018.
"Bronwyn really showed her capabilities today," said Bush of Luitwieler. "It takes a brave personality to stand up the way she did. She earned the trust of the staff and her team today."
How it Happened
It didn't take long for Campbell to threaten, registering a pair of shots followed by two corner kicks, all sent away by Luitwieler, in the first 14 minutes of the contest. The Bulldogs looked to get on the board first as Carter ripped a shot wide in the 30th minute. The Camels continued to pressure, but Luitwieler and Asheville remained strong, going into the break scoreless at 0-0.
Campbel opened up the second with a trio of corner kick opportunities, while Asheville was more active with the ball and kept the majority of chances from far out. In the 59th minute, the Bulldogs got a corner and Walker fired a shot but couldn't find the frame. Despite the best efforts of both teams, 90 minutes would not be enough to decide the season opener.
The Camels registered the first opportunity of overtime, with Luitwieler answering the bell three more times. With time winding down, Cam Turner ripped a shot that was pushed wide by Luitwieler, setting up a corner kick. When the ball was played out of the box, Hanna Mansson ripped a shot from outside the box which was redirected in by Turner for the game-winner.
The Bulldogs return to action next Sunday (February 28), traveling to Charleston Southern for a matchup with the Bucs beginning at 2:00 p.m.
"Turning the page can be difficult, but we'll spend tonight and tomorrow analyzing this match, then it's looking at Charleston Southern," Bush said. "Charleston Southern has a new staff, so we'll really have to take a close look at their game today. One thing we'll need to get better at is securing possession and playing on the counter. If we can connect a few more times during those opportunities I think it will bode well for us."
Team Stats
Cameron Turner (1)
Assisted By: Hanna Mansson , Cazzi Norgren
GOAL by CAM Turner, Cameron Assist by Mansson, Hanna and Norgren, Cazzi.
99:44
