Box score
CONWAY, S.C. - Anja Djumisic scored her first career goal at an
ideal time for the Charleston Southern soccer team. Her header in
the 100th minute gave the Buccaneers a 1-0 overtime victory over
Coastal Carolina University Friday night at Coastal Carolina Soccer
Field.
Djumisic's goal was huge in that it not only gave CSU the
victory, but it moved the Buccaneers into sole possession of first
place in the Big South Conference standings for the time being.
Charleston Southern (12-4-1, 5-1-1 BSC) tied the school record
for most wins in a single season (1993, '94, '07), and the triumph
gives the Buccaneers 16 points in conference play. Radford
University is currently second with 15 and Liberty University is
third with 13. The Highlanders and Lady Flames will face off
tomorrow in Lynchburg, Va., and both teams will play two games this
weekend, while CSU is off until Oct. 29.
The loss drops the Chanticleers to 5-11-2 overall and ended a
four-game unbeaten streak. CCU remains in fourth place in the Big
South with a 3-3-1 mark.
The two teams entered the contest as the two highest scoring
offenses in the conference, but it was the defenses and goalkeepers
that would take center stage during the two regulation periods.
The game featured just five combined shots in the first half,
and CSU held just a slim 9-8 shot advantage going into
overtime.
The goal was scored when the Buccaneers were awarded a free kick
10 yards outside of the penalty box on the right side in the final
minute of the first overtime. Jen Vroman took the free kick and
sent the ball into the box where everyone was waiting. Djumisic
timed her jump perfectly and was able to send the road side back to
Charleston with a victory.
The game-winner was only made possible after CSU goalkeeper Jena
Lalich made two huge saves on Dana Gentile in the first few minutes
of the extra session. Gentile entered the contest second in the
conference in both goals (9) and points (18) to only Marky Boyce,
but Charleston Southern shut her out despite her attempting three
shots on goal.
Lalich (7-1-1) finished the contest with five saves and earned
another clean sheet in 99:27. She continues her tremendous stretch
in goal as she now has recorded three shutouts in her last four
games. She has lowered her goals against average to 1.04 and
improved her saves percentage to .804 in that span.
Amy Haggard (4-7-1) made five saves and took the loss despite a
strong 99:27 of action.
Both teams attempted 11 shots, and the aggressive game created
26 total fouls. CSU held a 10-5 advantage on corner kicks.
Charleston Southern is now 7-2-3 all-time against CCU, and the
Buccaneers own a 5-0 mark in the last five meetings. CSU is also
5-0-1 this season in its last six games away from Buccaneer
Field.
Vroman has recorded an assist in six straight games, and her
seven assists this season are tied with Boyce for first in the Big
South. The tandem are sitting in fifth place in school history for
most assists in a single season, and Vroman is two helpers shy of
her personal high of nine assists, a feat she accomplished in
2007.
Charleston Southern will take the rest of the weekend off and
will begin preparations for a possible run at the Big South
regular-season championship next weekend. The Buccaneers will look
to improve on their four-game win streak as they play host to both
Winthrop University and Gardner-Webb University. CSU will play the
Eagles at 3 p.m. Oct. 29 at Buccaneer Field and will take on the
Bulldogs at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at Blackbaud Stadium in the regular
season finale.