STATESBORO, Ga. - Old Dominion women’s soccer scored two second half goals to come back and win, 2-1 against Georgia Southern at Bo Pitts Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Monarchs (8-1-4, 4-0-3 SBC) remain unbeaten in their last nine games and stay atop the Sun Belt East Division.
“This is a big win and an important one for us in many ways,” said ODU head coach Angie Hind. “Credit to Georgia Southern, I thought they played well today and this was a typically tough conference game. They scored on their momentum, and it gave us a lot to do in the second half.”
A freshman from Virginia Beach, Va., ODU’s Dylan McEntarfer scored her first career goal in a big moment. Andrea Balcazar Algarin whipped in a free kick from outside the box and found the freshman defender at the far post to equalize in the 64th minute. To culminate the comeback, Balcazar headed home the game-winning goal after a great passage of play in the final third. Riley Mullen fed Balcazar a through ball which she dummied into the path of a wide-open Ashley Economopoulos who fired one at goal. The Eagles’ (2-9-4, 0-4-3 SBC) Katie Oakley couldn’t keep hold of the shot and Balcazar had a free header right in front of goal, 2-1 to the Monarchs in the 68th minute.
“This is the first time we trailed at halftime and so the character we showed today to get two goals and win the game from that position was so pleasing,” added Hind.
Old Dominion had five shots in the opening 10 minutes of play and four were on target. Yuliia Khrystiuk, Gry Boe Thrysoe, Economopoulos, and Ashlynn Kulha were all denied by Oakley. Georgia Southern opened the scoring late in the first half. Maya Zmistowski got on the end of a GS counterattack in the 43rd minute after connecting on a whipped in cross from Erin Wilkins to grab the opening goal. The Eagles went into the halftime break up 1-0.
The Monarchs had three shots in the first 19 minutes before finally breaking through, Mullen had an attempt in the 60th that forced Oakley to make a save. After Balcazar put the Silver and Blue in front, GS’ first chance to try and score an equalizer came from a corner kick in the 80th minute, but Kulha and ODU’s defense cleared the ball from any danger. Old Dominion’s goalkeeper Erin Jones made a crucial save after a shot by Zmistowski with just under 30 seconds left in the game and secured the 2-1 win.
“Another three points and puts us up there,” said Hind.
ODU’s Grace Hillis and Kulha played 90 minutes in the win. ODU outshot the Eagles 18-7 and 10-3 in shots on goal. Economopoulos made her first career start and had a game high five shots with three on target. Thrysoe had two shots on goal in three attempts. Mullen, Khrystiuk, and Kulha each registered one shot on goal. Balcazar had two shots off the bench and earned ODU Player of the Match for her two goal involvements.
Erin Jones played 90 minutes in net and made two saves while securing the win. Oakley made eight saves and allowed two goals in 90 minutes.
UP NEXT:
The Monarchs head back on the road for the last contest of a three-game road trip as they head to Lafayette to play Louisiana. ODU meets the Ragin Cajuns on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m.