Charleston, WV – The Golden Eagles returned home Sunday afternoon, battling cross-town rival West Virginia State to a 2-2 draw at the Welch Athletic Complex.
The Basics
- Location: Welch Athletic Complex
- Final Score: UC 2, WVSU 2
- Records: Charleston (1-3-1, 1-1-1 MEC), West Virginia State (1-2-2, 1-1-1 MEC)
How It Happened
Charleston came out strong, controlling the early stages of the match and putting pressure on the Yellow Jackets' defense. Li-Lou Debaecker recorded the first shot of the game in the fourth minute, sending her attempt over the crossbar. Abigail Harrison and Jenna Brown continued to create opportunities on the wings, taking on defenders and helping the Golden Eagles maintain their attacking momentum. In the 14th minute, Sydney Crowe forced the first save of the game as Charleston continued to push forward.
West Virginia State gradually found more control, shifting play into the Golden Eagles' half. In the 35th minute, a costly turnover near the box gave the Yellow Jackets an opportunity, and they capitalized with a shot to open the scoring. Charleston nearly found an equalizer before halftime. Following a long free kick, the ball bounced around inside the box, but Isabella Cinco's attempt sailed over the crossbar as West Virginia State took a 1-0 lead into the break.
The Golden Eagles came out firing in the second half and quickly found their breakthrough. In the 50th minute, Allison Freese played a long ball forward to Debaecker, who took a touch into the box, worked around a defender, and finished into the net to level the score at 1-1. Just minutes later, Charleston completed the comeback. Harrison drove down the right wing before finding Crowe on the overlap. Crowe delivered a first-touch cross toward the far post, where Debaecker took a touch before volleying the ball into the back of the net to give the Golden Eagles a 2-1 lead.
West Virginia State responded in the 67th minute. After Charleston conceded a foul just outside the box, the Yellow Jackets found the top corner with a well-placed free kick to bring the match level at 2-2. Both teams continued to push for a winner in the closing stages. West Virginia State came close to taking the lead in the 88th minute, but Ines Degli Esposti stood tall in a one-on-one situation to keep Charleston level.
The match finished in a 2-2 draw, with both teams recording 15 shots and 7 fouls.
Up Next
Charleston will return to the Welch Athletic Complex on Wednesday, Sept. 16, hosting West Virginia Wesleyan at 7 p.m.
