SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Concord University women's soccer team opened the season with a 4-1 triumph over Converse in non-conference action Thursday night.
Senior forward
Kari Simon netted two goals, the 26
th and 27
th of her Mountain Lion career. Additionally, Simon notched an assist. Freshman back
Katelyn Gibbs and junior forward
Emily Cole also added a goal in the three-goal victory.
Freshman forward
Pilar Elias contributed an assist on Simon's first goal of the game.
After a slow start to the game that featured just three shots on goal, all by CU, through the first 30 minutes of the game, Simon got the Mountain Lions on the board with 14 minutes left before halftime.
Converse would answer just six minutes later on a penalty kick as the match remained tied at the intermission.
However, CU got its own attempt at a penalty kick early in the second half as Gibbs buried her first collegiate goal to put the Mountain Lions back out front 2-1.
In the 56
th minute of the game, Cole added to the Mountain Lion lead with Simon assisting on the Scott Depot, West Virginia native's goal. Simon concluded the Maroon and Gray scoring on the evening with seven minutes left in the contest to push the final margin of victory to 4-1.
Freshman goalkeeper
Emily Simpkins stopped three shots in her first collegiate start in net for the Mountain Lions.
Concord outshot the Valkyries (17-9), had more shots on goal (11-4) and took more corner kicks (8-1) than Converse.
Cole led the way for CU in shots goal with four while Simon and junior midfielder
Margot Provencher had two each. Elias, Gibbs and junior
Olivia Reilly had one shot on goal apiece.
The Mountain Lions will open their home schedule 12:00 p.m. Saturday when they face Tiffin at Anderson Field.
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