Charleston, WV – Following a tough loss to West Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday, Charleston returned to the Welch Athletic Complex to take on Shawnee State in an important Mountain East Conference matchup. The Golden Eagles rallied twice before scoring the game-winner in the second half to secure a 3-2 victory.
The Basics
- Location: Welch Athletic Complex
- Final Score: UC 3, SSU 2
- Records: Charleston (5-7-3, 5-5-3 MEC), Shawnee State (1-11-2, 1-10-2 MEC)
How It Happened
Charleston came out on the front foot, nearly opening the scoring just two minutes into the contest when Li-Lou Debaecker struck the post. The Golden Eagles controlled much of the possession throughout the opening 20 minutes but struggled to turn their dominance into clear-cut opportunities. Shawnee State nearly took advantage of a defensive miscue in the 21st minute. Following a long clearance, a mishandled ball fell to a Bears forward, whose left-footed attempt was tipped by Gracie Singer and pushed onto the post.
Charleston responded immediately. Sydney Crowe drove down the right wing and delivered a cross into the box, where Abigail Harrison collected the ball following a scramble and forced a save from the Shawnee State goalkeeper. Despite Charleston's pressure, the Bears struck first in the 29th minute, converting a free kick from the right side of the box into the opposite top corner. The Golden Eagles continued to search for an equalizer but entered halftime trailing 1-0.
Charleston wasted little time responding after the break. Just moments into the second half, Debaecker delivered a bending corner kick toward goal that the goalkeeper mishandled, allowing the ball to cross the line and level the score at 1-1. However, Shawnee State regained the lead just two minutes later, sending a long free kick from the left side over Singer and into the net to make it 2-1.
The Golden Eagles increased the pressure as they searched for another equalizer. Anaé Buehlmann came close in the 66th minute, breaking through for a one-on-one opportunity, but the Bears' goalkeeper made an excellent save to preserve the lead. Charleston finally found its breakthrough in the 70th minute. Crowe collected the ball outside the box, dribbled inside, and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike into the top corner to bring the Golden Eagles level at 2-2.
Seven minutes later, Charleston completed the comeback. Ciara Casamento delivered a corner kick into the box, where Jamie Bland rose to meet it with a header and directed the ball into the net to give the Golden Eagles a 3-2 advantage. Charleston held firm defensively over the final minutes to secure the victory after an impressive second-half comeback.
Up Next
Charleston returns to the Welch Athletic Complex on Wednesday, October 21, for another important MEC matchup against Glenville State. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
