Sept. 18, 2011

Final Stats

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By Miquel Jacobs
Assistant Media Relations Director

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina freshman Sabrina D’Angelo made five saves against the potent Wake Forest attack, but the 13th-ranked Demon Deacons (8-1-0) were able to convert on Carolina’s mistakes to take a 2-0 victory in the non-conference finale for both teams.

Ally Berry put Wake Forest ahead just three minutes before intermission with a one-timed shot from six yards out after a Gamecock defensive miscue on a clearance, and Katie Stengel added the insurance goal at 68:16 when Berry fed her from midfield for a goal just inside the ’18.

D’Angelo made her first appearance in goal for the Gamecocks (6-3-0) since suffering an ankle injury against Clemson nine days ago. She finished with five saves after making the start in what may be her finest game in a Gamecock uniform. The Canadian international was called upon in the second half to make four big league saves to solidify her reputation as one of the top young goalkeepers in the nation.

“Sabrina is strong in getting back from her ankle injury,” South Carolina head coach Shelley Smith said of her freshman keeper. “Yesterday she had a great practice, and today she was tremendous. She had big saves for us. It’s nice for her to be off a couple of games and then come back in this pressure situation (and perform the way she did), especially as a freshman goalkeeper.”

On a chilly Sunday afternoon, the Gamecocks and Demon Deacons played a fairly even first half filled with more fouls than shots. The first shot of the game came in the sixth minute when Christa Neary played a ball past the Wake Forest backline that found Danielle Au for a 1v1 with the keeper, but her attempt from the top of the 18′ went wide left with the pressure. Neither side was able to get many looks after with the first shot on goal for either team coming at 42:00 when Berry scored her goal after a miscommunication between three Gamecock defenders led to a blast by Berry into the net. It was the first goal for Berry since the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

Wake Forest sophomore Katie Stengel looked to double the score before the half just a minute later with an open look on goal, but D’Angelo raced off her line for the big save as the teams went into the break with six combined shots.

The Demon Deacons came out firing in the second half and tested D’Angelo often, but the freshman keeper showed poise and confidence in goal to prevent a number of Wake Forest options. Stengel had two open shots that did not go her way with a point-blank shot in the 55th that D’Angelo saved and an open goal in the 65th that she shot over the net.

Both teams had strong opportunities on corner kicks in the second half. In the 56th minute, Wake Forest’s Kim Marshall put her header on frame but it was tip-saved by D’Angelo to end the threat. South Carolina’s Elizabeth Sinclair then took her own shot at it with headers in both the 58th and 64th that required reflexive saves by the Demon Deacons. Her laser in the 58th was pushed out by Wake Forest keeper Aubrey Bledsoe, and her header in the 64th beat Bledsoe but was saved off the line by Marshall.

The second half ended with the teams combining for 12 shots and seven corners after the slow first half. Three players earned bookings in the final 35 minutes of play.

South Carolina begins SEC play next week when the team travels to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on the Tennessee Lady Vols. Game time between the Gamecocks and 16th-ranked Lady Vols is scheduled for 7 p.m.