Dramatic loss ends season
Women’s soccer finishes season with best-ever SoCon record in school history
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Senior captain Molly Calpin took off her gear on the sideline after the Phoenix lost to UNC Greensboro. The Phoenix recorded their best season ever despite the loss. Photo by Justine Schulerud.
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Junior Brittany Hallberg, right, races for a loose ball during Thursday’s matchup against regular season champion UNC Greensboro. Photo by Justine Schulerud.
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Senior goalkeeper Sydney Little, left, and junior defender Megan Deutschle, center, prepare to defend a corner kick during the first half of Thursday’s loss. Photo by David Wells.
The stakes were high Thursday night when the women's soccer team traveled to UNC Greensboro for its final game of the regular season. More than 800 spectators nervously watched the game, which determined the Southern Conference regular-season champions.
The Phoenix fell to UNCG 1-0. The Phoenix held off the Spartans in the first half, despite being outshot 16-2. Spartan freshman Tabitha Padgett dribbled in from the top of the box to score the lone goal of the game in the 71st minute.
The Spartans outshot Elon 6-4 in the second half, but Elon's defense stayed solid to keep the score 1-0, with senior goalkeeper Sydney Little making eight saves. UNCG keeper Kelsey Kearney had one save.
This game also ended Little's collegiate career.
"We wanted a win," Little said, "but it didn't happen. It was a good learning experience for all of us."
The loss dropped the Phoenix to fourth place in the SoCon regular season, tied with Davidson. Since it defeated Elon earlier in the season, Davidson earned the fourth spot in the SoCon Championship Tournament.
For the Spartans, the win against Elon secured its fourth straight regular-season title and the No. 1 seed for the SoCon Tournament, which the team will host.
In the past five seasons, UNCG has defeated Elon in every game played. In the 2006-2007 season, the Spartan's tallied the score to 4-0.
The Phoenix conference standings rose three places this year from its seventh-place finish last year. The women were predicted to be No. 7 in conference again this year, according to the 2008-2009 SoCon preseason poll.
"The way the team has grown has made me so proud to be part of it," Little said.
This season's No. 4 finish marked the best standing the team has ever had in the SoCon. The women finished the season with a SoCon record of 7-3-1 and a final record of 12-5-2.
The Phoenix will lose six seniors of its 29 member roster. Senior forward and captain Molly Calpin led the team with six goals, five of which were game-winning goals, and a team high of 13 points.
Following Calpin in team points was freshman defender Elizabeth Palmer with 11. Palmer also led the team in assists. Eleven of the 19 assists of the season were Palmer's. Little, who joined the joined the Phoenix after transfering from N.C. State her junior season, led the team with 62 saves and seven shut outs.
The Phoenix will return eight juniors, four sophomores and 11 freshmen for spring play.
Updated November 3, 2009
