Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Oct. 13, 2013) – Facing the second-highest scoring team in Conference USA Sunday afternoon, the FIU women's soccer team earned a 3-2 overtime win over the UAB Blazers. It's the second-straight match in which the Panthers have won in overtime and brings the squad's overall record to 5-8-0 and ups their C-USA record to 3-2-0. It's also the Panthers second-straight, come-from-behind victory, which now puts them in first place in C-USA's East Division.
"We played two great havles of soccer and the same in overtime," said Head Coach
Thomas Chestnutt. "We made great tactical decisions and were technically good today, which allowed us to produce more quality situations."
The Blazers got an early 1-0 lead in the 16th minute when Paige Hanks got her first goal of the season off a pass from Kasey Johnson, her second assist of the year. Johnson fed the ball to Hanks, who chipped it past redshirt junior
Paula Zuluaga from just outside the box. UAB went on to score again in the 34th minute courtesy of Morgan Key-Adams' first goal.
To begin the second half, freshman
Vanessa Plasencia took over for the Panthers between the pipes, her first action since Sept. 1 against then-No. 9 Florida. FIU battled back and got the game within one point in the 56th minute when redshirt sophomore
Sara Stewart converted on her first goal of the season off an FIU corner kick, assisted by sophomore
Madlen Weinhardt's team-best third assist of the season. The goal was also the first of Stewart's collegiate career.
"I just capitalized off the moment," said Stewart. "Madlen had a beautiful kick, and I just headed it in."
In the 63rd minute, senior
Kim Lopez came on for freshman
Talia McMurtrie. Lopez proved to be a difference maker and evened the game at 2-2 two minutes later, courtesy of her first goal of the season, ultimately sending the game into overtime. Senior
Crystal McNamara was credited with her second assist in as many games and second for the season.
"It felt great coming in and making a difference for my team," said Lopez.
Fifty-seven seconds into overtime, junior
Ashleigh Shim sent the Panthers home victorious. Shim found the back of the net for her sixth-goal of the season and her third game-winner after a give-and-go from senior
Nicole DiPerna.
"I think this was the best game we've played all season," said Shim.
The Panthers next face East Carolina on Oct. 18 at the FIU Soccer Stadium. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUWomensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWSoccer) for all the latest FIU women's soccer news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelor¹s, master¹s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida¹s anchor institutions, FIU is Worlds Ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded 200,000 degrees and enrolls 50,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu
