CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The WKU women's soccer team picked up a 3-1 win against Charlotte on Sunday afternoon at Transamerica Field in Charlotte, N.C. The Lady Toppers improve to 8-4-4 on the season and 4-2-2 in conference play. Charlotte drops to 5-11 on the season and 1-6 in Conference USA.
WKU got things started in the 37th minute with a Hannah Cady goal. Chandler Clark threw the ball in to Caitlin Hesse who touched it back to Clark. Clark served the ball into the box but the Charlotte keeper made a play on it. The ball popped out of the keeper's hands and straight to Hannah Cady waiting by the left post. Cady poked it in for her second goal of the season.
Just over a minute later, WKU was awarded a penalty kick after Hesse was knocked to the ground. Olivia Fitzgerald took the kick for the Lady Toppers and fooled the keeper for her first score of the season and it was the first career goal for the junior.
In the 59th minute, Hesse found Lauren Moats streaking down the right side. Moats fired the shot with one touch for the WKU's third goal in the game. The goal was Moats first score of the season and 18th career goal, putting her in sole possession of 7th place in WKU history.
Charlotte kept WKU from getting the shutout with 50 seconds remaining in the game behind a Katie O'Neill goal following a corner kick. The late goal doesn't discredit the incredible effort that the WKU defense put forth in the game. Goalkeeper Allison Leone had four saves in the game. Fitzgerald was credited a save early in the game. Leone came out to make a play on the ball diving to the ground and the Charlotte offender was able to get it around and fire a shot but Fitzgerald put her body in front of the ball and cleared it out.
WKU was outshot by Charlotte eight to 13 in the game. WKU is 2-2-2 on the season when being outshot by their opponent. Only one WKU player had multiple shots in the game. The conference leader in goals on the season, Martha Thomas had four shots and two on goal.
The second win this weekend earns WKU three points in conference standings, bringing their season total to 14. The top eight teams in the standings will compete in the Conference USA Championship in Miami, Fla. in November. Prior to the win, WKU was seventh in the rankings.
The contest ended the road schedule for WKU. The Lady Toppers finished with 3-2-3 record away from home.
The Lady Toppers will return home to host Marshall on Friday, Oct. 23 at 6:00 PM at the WKU Soccer Complex. Marshall (11-3-3, 4-2-2 C-USA) defeated FIU on Sunday by a score of 1-0.
