MIAMI (Sept. 28, 2014) – Two second half goals from Charlotte handed the FIU women's soccer team (6-5-0, 1-1-0) its first conference loss on Sunday afternoon. Despite outshooting the Blazers, 9-7, the Panthers dropped the match, 2-1.

FIU rebounded nicely from its second half performance on Friday night, executing clean passes from the get-go, limiting the 49ers' touches in the first 10 minutes and allowing just two shots during the first 45 minutes. A beautiful cross from the right flank from senior Ashleigh Shim found redshirt senior Chelsea Leiva alone in the box with the Charlotte keeper. With one touch off her foot, Leiva found the top corner of the net.

Freshman Nevena Stojakovic kept the game scoreless in the 32^nd minute, jumping her line to smother the ball just before the 49ers' Jessica Ryan could get a shot off. FIU got off two final shots in the half that looked to have a chance. First, redshirt junior Nikki Rios had her shot blocked by Charlotte's Annika McHenry on a ball played into the box by Leiva. Leiva then had FIU's last chance of the half in the closing seconds, but McHenry made the save.

Charlotte was able to find the equalizer shortly after the second half began. A set piece goal, the 49er's Martha Thomas buried the ball in the 53^rd minute, going high on Stojakovic. Leiva had a great look at the goal in the 62^nd minute, but the Royal Palm Beach, Fla., native got under the ball, sending it high of net.

The 49ers were able to pick up their level of play in the second half, although FIU countered with several opportunities pushing towards 65 minutes. Sophomore Ellen Crist missed wide off her right foot in the 70^th minute, while senior Marie Egan followed shortly after in the 71^st minute with a look that McHenry was able to get a hand on.

With five fresh sets of legs subbed into the Charlotte rotation in the 81^st minute, the 49ers found the game-winning goal just shy of the 87^th minute. Thomas scored her second goal of the day on a ball fed to her by the 18, beating Stojakovic high on the right side.

Senior Caroline Hernandez helped to anchor a Panthers' backline that was aggressive all game, heavily taming the 49ers' attack. On the opposite side of the field, redshirt junior Sara Stewart stepped up to several balls at midfield, pushing the ball back into the 49ers' defensive third.

After a seven-game stay at home, FIU now hits the road for its next three matches. Game one of a three-game trip is set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 3 at Florida Atlantic.

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, and is a proud member of Conference USA. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and the FIU Football Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.