Ortega Grabs Game-Winner to Defeat Elon

Thursday, September 27

Elon, NC - Rudd Field

7:00 PM

College of Charleston

7-5-0, 2-1-0CAA

Elon

2-5-3, 0-2-0CAA

Col. of Charleston

Elon

9/27/2018 10:04:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score PDF Box

ELON, N.C. – Laura Ortega's team leading 5^th goal of the season proved to be the game-winner as the College of Charleston women's soccer team defeated Elon 1-0 on the road on Thursday evening.

The Cougars began the stronger of the teams with three efforts inside the opening exchanges. Ortega had an effort that went past the left post and another that was blocked with Raymara Barreto firing from the edge of the box but just over the bar.

The College didn't have to wait long for the opening goal. A ball into the box from the left wing was expertly cushioned down by Alyssa Beck, with Ortega taking a touch at the left of the six-yard box and firing into the roof of the net for the 1-0 lead. The goal moves Ortega into second all-time for career goals at Charleston with 22.

In the 31^st minute Sara Deutsch nearly doubled the lead by heading Talia Colchico's cross towards the left corner, but the Phoenix goalkeeper was down smartly to save.

In the opening minutes of the second half Beck cut inside from the left wing and smashed a ball across the face of goal, but it flew yards past the right post.

Hannah Farmer nearly finished off a smart counter attacking move in the 70^th minute with Charleston breaking from a Phoenix corner. Emma Kerns playing the ball to Farmer, who burst into the right of the box with her effort from 15-yards was saved.

Kacey Smekrud came even closer with a curling effort towards the top right corner from 22-yards, the Elon goalkeeper back-pedaling and tipping it over the bar.

Charleston (7-5-0, 2-1-0 CAA) saw the rest of the game out to record their second Colonial Athletic Association victory of the season, the first on the road.

Postgame Quotes - Head Coach Christian Michner
On the game…
"It was a really tough game for us tonight as Elon's defensive block caused us one or two problems in our possession. We battled hard for every ball through 90 minutes, and I couldn't be happier for our group to come away with three huge points on the road. Laura [Ortega] scored a wonderful goal off a great header from Alyssa [Beck] at the top of the box and she ran in behind their defense and buried it. All in all, a good night for the Cougs!"

Notables
• Laura Ortega scored her second game-winner and fifth goal of the season
• Ortega is now second all-time in career goals with 22 and three away from the record outright
• Alyssa Beck get her second assist of the season
• Six student-athletes played the full 90 minutes (Henderson, Kim, Tunney, Barreto, S. Deutsch, L. Deutsch)
• Ortega led the attack with three shots, one on target
• Genevieve Henderson made three saves in her third clean sheet of the season
• Meredith Tunney continues to be the only Charleston student-athlete to play every minute of every game this season (1,111)

Next Up
Charleston continue the road travels with a Sunday afternoon matchup at Delaware. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Grant Stadium.