BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — After tallying 14 shots in regulation, it took only one in overtime for the WKU soccer team as it defeated Western Carolina 1-0 in overtime at the WKU Soccer Complex Friday night in the Lady Toppers' season-opener. Freshman Leslie Chinn scored the game-winner for her first career goal.
"I thought we played really well tonight for our first game out," said head coach Jason Neidell. "I thought our back four was really, really good. We just need to clean up some things technically and in decision-making."
WKU (1-0) had the first real chance on goal in the game 11 minutes in when Mallory Outerbridge's shot from seven yards off was saved by Catamounts goalkeeper Katie Jacobs. Western Carolina (0-1) responded two minutes later when a Samantha Hodge shot was blocked. The Lady Toppers best scoring chance of the first half may have come in the 26th minute when Ali Stahlke's header off a corner kick to the back post went wide. WKU had one more quality chance in the half with 4:46 to go when a Lindsay Goad shot was stopped by Jacobs. For the half the Lady Toppers outshot the Catamounts 9-1.
Goad almost put WKU on the board 43 seconds into the second half, but her chance was stopped by Jacobs. The regulation period of the match saw many good runs on the ball, but not a lot of scoring chances. After an Amanda Buechel shot was saved by Jacobs, the Lady Toppers did not have a shot for nearly 20 minutes. Chrissy Tchoula had a good opportunity from the top of the 18-yard box in the 74th minute but saw the ball go over the crossbar. Western Carolina came close to winning in regulation, but a Laura Greb shot with 1:10 to go went right to WKU goalkeeper Libby Stout for her only save of the game.
Play was even for most of the overtime period. The Catamounts came close to a breakthrough with 3:01 to go in the period but Greb's header went wide. After a quick restart from the back, Buechel found a running Chinn in the middle of the offensive third. Chinn took one step back in the box, turned and fired a shot past Jacobs for the game-winning goal with 2:35 to go in overtime.
"It was a great goal," said Chinn of the first tally of her WKU career. "It started from the back and Buechel did all the work for me, shielding her defender off and got me that ball. Everybody thought I took a funny touch because I went backwards, but I guess I had a lucky hit and it went in."
For the match, WKU outshot Western Carolina 14-5. Jacobs made four saves for the Catamounts while Stout needed to make only one for her 30th career shutout.
"I was real happy with the performance," Neidell added. "The biggest key now is, because we play Friday-Sunday, is can we come back out Sunday and have a consistent performance."
The Lady Toppers will close the WKU Tournament on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the WKU Soccer Complex as they take on the Ball State Cardinals. Ball State defeated Murray State 3-0 in the first match of the day Friday.
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