Oct. 3, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s soccer team (6-6-1, 0-3-1 SEC) fell to No. 19 Tennessee (7-2-2, 4-0 SEC) 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in SEC women’s soccer action. Jessi Swaim scored the lone goal for USC, her second of the year, as the Lady Volunteers snapped the Gamecocks’ seven-game unbeaten streak at Stone Stadium.
“Tennessee is a very good team and their goalkeeper (Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart) was very solid in goal for them today, she made some key saves and stole a couple goals away from us,” said USC head coach Shelley Smith. “We competed very hard and didn’t let down and continued to fight throughout the match, unfortunately we gave up some goals in some bad situations.”
Tennessee’s first goal would come at 26:27 as Ali Cristoph put the Lady Vols on top. From 25 yards out, Christoph knocked a shot that soared over the head of USC goalkeeper Lindsay Thorstenson for the first goal of the match. The Lady Vols scored two more goals in the early parts of the second half and two minutes within each other. Outside the 18-yard box, Sue Flamini launched a shot into the goal to put Tennessee on top by two at 51:19 and Kristin McGrath extended the lead to three goals at 53:14 scoring off a corner kick by Genna Gorman that was also assisted by Keeley Dowling.
Carolina stayed with Tennessee though and put together several chances in the next 15 minutes with their first goal coming at 66:47. Freshman midfielder Courtney Cobbs knocked a cross into the box that was controlled by Swaim, who put a shot past Bosshart for USC’s first goal of the game. Cobbs had come close about three minutes earlier on a header that just went over the bar off a cross from Swaim. Ashley Williams also came close to scoring as a shot from outside the “18” went over Bosshart’s head only to be knocked off the crossbar just missing the goal.
“It’s important that we keep our head up, continue to play hard and find a way to win in our next few matches,” said Coach Smith. “We’ve come a long way this season with a young team and there are a lot of matches left to play.”
The USC women’s soccer team heads back on the road for its next two conference matches. The Gamecocks face Vanderbilt on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. CT with a Sunday matchup at Kentucky. Carolina returns home on Friday, Oct. 15 to host Ole Miss.
