Soccer fights to end can't overcome early score
FAYETTEVILLE – Senior Carrie Dillsaver made six saves for the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team, but it was a deflection from an unlikely spot that made the difference as the University of Georgia nipped Arkansas, 1-0, in Southeastern Conference play at Lady’Back Field on Sunday afternoon.
The loss drops the Lady Razorbacks to 4-9-0 on the season and 1-5-0 in conference play while Georgia improves to 9-4-1 and 3-3-0 in the SEC.
“Georgia is a team that is on the verge of the top 25,” Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson said. “We didn’t play with the same energy that we did on Friday night, but it is hard to come back in two days and do that. We struggled to create in Georgia’s end but the heart and the passion were certainly there. We still have hopes of playing in the SEC Tournament, our room for error just got smaller.”
The Lady Razorbacks fell behind in the contest just 1:43 in when the Bulldogs Cortni Joyner made things happen. Taking a feed along the right side, Joyner got around two Lady Razorback defenders ho pushed her close to the end line. Attempting to get the ball across the goal face for one of her teammates, Joyner hit a strong cross that was intercepted by a Lady Razorback, but the deflection ricocheted into the Arkansas goal for the game’s first and only score.
“It’s a fine line between winning and losing,” Henderson said. “We just keep ending up on the wrong side. I believe that nine times out of 10, we clear that ball and keep playing with a 0-0 game, but this time it went into the net and those things happen.”
The Bulldogs used frequent substitutions to keep their players fresh on the warm afternoon in Fayetteville. The influx of fresh athletes allowed the Bulldogs to command some of the tempo in the early going, but several Arkansas counters put a scare in the Georgia defense. Juniors Christina Burger and Katie Hamilton were the catalysts of those efforts as they ran stride for stride with Georgia defenders on several occasions, forcing their opponent to clear the ball out of bounds to avoid any potential harm.
In goal, Dillsaver let her team and the opposition know why she is one of the best goalkeepers in Lady Razorback history as she recorded six saves, but also made several strong plays on potential scoring chances that kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard. On at least two occasions, Dillsaver came off the back line to punch Georgia crosses out of the air and toward the Lady Razorback defense, then came up huge on a 1-v-1 when she dropped down to her right side after positioning herself perfectly to stop one of Georgia’s 15 shots.
The Lady Razorbacks are back in action on Friday night when they travel to Auburn University to take on the Tigers in Auburn, Ala., at 7:00 p.m. For more information about Lady Razorback soccer or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.
