Sept. 27, 2007
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 12 University of South Carolina women’s soccer team dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to No. 10 Tennessee Thursday night at Regal Stadium in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. With the loss, the Gamecocks drop to 8-2-0 while Tennessee improves to 6-1-1 on the season.
The game was the first overtime match of the season for the Gamecocks as Tennessee’s Kylee Rossi scored the winning goal in the 97th minute.
Darcel Mollon and Ashley Kirk scored for Carolina, the sixth of the season for Mollon and first for Kirk. With the goals, Kirk moved into 11th place on the USC all-time scoring list with 29 points while Mollon moved into 12th place with 28 career points.
The Lady Vols hit the board early with Mick Ingram hitting a one-timer into the net in the eight minute. The goal marked the first time that Carolina has given up a score in the first half this season and only the third time this season that they trailed in a game.
Carolina would not score until the second half when Mollon tied the game in the 65th minute. Erin Sullivan took a ball at midfield and dribbled one-third before passing to Mollon for a ground shout into the right side of the net.
The Gamecocks stayed on the offensive and took the lead in the 80th minute when Kirk headed a cross from Brooke Jacobs into the net to put Carolina up, 2-1. It was the third assist in two games for Jacobs, playing in her second game this season after returning from an ACL injury.
The Gamecocks last came back from a 1-0 deficit against UC Davis in the UCF Tournament earlier this season, a game that they won, 2-1.
The Lady Vols were able to tie the game in the 84th minute on a cluster play in front of the goal. Tennessee goalkeeper Jaimel Johnson took a free kick at midfield that landed in a cluster of players in front of the Carolina goal before Alissa Vonderhaar was able to tap it into the goal to tie the match.
Tennessee held a 17-13 shot advantage and attempted two corner kicks to Carolina’s one. Carolina goalkeeper Lindsay Thorstenson had a season-high six saves in the match.
Carolina falls to 0-11-2 all-time against the Lady Vols. The teams tied, 0-0, last season at Stone Stadium.
The Gamecocks return to action when they travel to Georgia Sunday. The game against the Bulldogs (7-1-0) will kickoff at 2 p.m. at the Turner Soccer Complex.
