MIAMI, Fla. –No. 2 seeded Marshall (15-3-3) scored two unanswered goals in a seven minute span in the second half, which lifted the Thundering Herd to a 2-1 victory over No. 6 seeded Old Dominion (8-12-1) in the Conference USA women’s soccer semifinals on Friday night at the FIU Soccer Stadium. Old Dominion’s eight wins this year is the most for the program in a season since 2008.
"I'm very proud of this group of players and what they have achieved this season," said ODU head coach Angie Hind. "We have had a lot to overcome and yet the players have given their all and collectively moved this program on to another level. Tonight we were great in the first half and looked comfortable; however, credit to Marshall they turned it around and despite our best efforts we couldn't get back into the game. To take ODU women's soccer into the semifinals for the first time has been a great achievement and has given our players a taste of where we want to be every year."
In the 17th minute, it was the 2015 Conference USA Freshman of the Year who struck again, this time off a 12-yard chip off a pass from Jordan Jones, giving Old Dominion an early 1-0 advantage. The goal was Achterhof’s 8th of the season and second in the tournament. The assist was Jones’ first of the season.
The Lady Soccer Monarchs carried the 1-0 lead with them into halftime. Old Dominion held advantages in shots (5-3) and corners (4-0).
In the 56th minute Marshall’s Brittany Entz drilled a shot from just a couple yards out, in which Old Dominion’s Erin Kinz sacrificed her body to make a save to keep the Thundering Herd off the scoreboard.
However, in the 64th minute, Brittany Entz found the back of the ODU net, as she volleyed a Jenna Dubs corner kick to make the score 1-1. The goal was Entz’s first of the season.
Marshall then scored its second unanswered goal in the 71st, when Adela Trevino found Kayla Byrnside inside the six-yard box, giving the Thundering Herd a 2-1 lead. The goal was Byrnside’s first of the season.
Despite a couple last chances by Old Dominion, the Lady Soccer Monarchs would fall in heartbreak fashion, 2-1 to Marshall in the semifinals on Friday night in Miami.
For the match, both squads fired off nine shots, while ODU held an 8-1 advantage on corner kicks.
MARSHALL: 0-2=2
ODU: 1-0=1
16:47: ODU goal by Iris Achterhof assisted by Jordan Jones, 1-0
63:31: Marshall goal Brittany Entz assisted by Jenna Dubs, 1-1
70:25: Marshall goal by Kayla Byrnside assisted by Adela Trevino, 1-2
Shots: ODU (9), MARSHALL (9)
Corners: ODU (8), MARSHALL (1)
Saves: ODU - Kinz (1), MARSHALL – Kish (3)
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