NASHVILLE. — Offense was the order of the day in a key Gulf South Conference women's soccer matchup on the Hill on Saturday afternoon. The Trevecca Nazarene University Trojans welcomed the Delta State University Lady Statesmen to Nashville, with three crucial points on the line and only one point separating the teams in the standings.
The teams combined for nine goals in the match, with each team equalizing twice in the match, as Trevecca (6-4-1, 3-3-0 GSC) fell with just two seconds remaining to Delta State (3-4-3, 2-2-2 GSC), 5-4.
THE SERIES
The match was a sharp departure from the first two meetings in the series, which came in the last two seasons. In those two matches - both won by Delta State - the teams combined for four total goals, with DSU taking wins of 1-0 and 2-1. DSU leads the series after Saturday's action, 3-0.
THE MATCH
Delta State broke through in the match's second minute to take a 1-0 lead. Mariela Dolan took a throw-in on the right wing side, and she lobbed a shot over Penelope Charroin and into the net to give DSU the 1-0 lead.
Trevecca's Anna Farrell answered with a goal in the eighth minute with her fourth goal of the year. Farrell received a throw-in and chipped the ball into the middle to Elsa Bengtsson. Bengtsson sent it back to Farrell on the left post, and Farrell forced the issue to put the ball in the net and level the score at 1-1.
In the 19th minute, DSU went back in front with a rebound goal for Dolan, but again, that lead was short-lived. Anny Mitra took a right-footed out-swinging corner kick into the box, and Bengtsson volleyed it home to square the match at 2-2, which proved to be the halftime score.
The line remained 2-2 into the 71st minute when the Trojans took advantage of a Delta State miscue. An attempted clearance deflected off a DSU midfielder, and Farrell found herself in possession of the ball with only teammate Kylie Bradshaw and green grass between her and the goal. Farrell slotted home her second of the match to secure a brace and give the Trojans the 3-2 lead.
The final 10 minutes of the match were frenetic. Off a goal kick in the 83rd minute, DSU countered quickly and Millie Webb finished off a pass from Kennedi Turner to level the match at 3-3. Almost exactly two minutes later, Trevecca went back in front as another corner was served in by Mitra, and Farrell flicked the header to Bengtsson who completed a brace with a header to put the Trojans up 4-3.[Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]But it was the Lady Statesmen who had the final word on the day. With exactly five minutes to play, Kennedi Banar unleashed a rocket from well outside the area to knot things at 4-4. The Trojans looked like they would escape with a draw, but with just two seconds to play, a shot from Emma Earwood hit the right post and deflected in to give DSU the 5-4 win.
GOALKEEPERS:
Delta State - Kim Bircher (W, 4-2-2) - 90 Minutes Played, 4 GA, 10 SV
SCORING:
1:27 - DSU: Mariela Dolan (2, Kennedi Turner)
18:36 - DSU: Mariela Dolan (3, Emma Earwood)
82:14 - DSU: Millie Webb (3, Kennedi Turner)
85:00 - DSU: Kennedi Banar (1, Unassisted)
89:58 - DSU: Emma Earwood (3, Evie Shepherd)
UP NEXT
Trevecca heads West on Wednesday to try and get back on track in another critical GSC match against the Union University Bulldogs (3-3-3, 3-0-3 GSC) in Jackson at 5 p.m.
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