Women's Soccer Preview: Charleston Southern

The Bulldogs are in for a challenge tomorrow afternoon as they host the offensive juggernaut that is Charleston Southern. UNC Asheville (4-5-1, 1-2-0) is coming off its first win conference win of the season last Saturday, a 3-0 romp over Presbyterian. The Buccaneers (9-4-1, 2-1-1) boast the best overall record in the Big South and have overwhelmed opponents all season long with a relentless attack.

Charleston Southern’s 25.43 shots per game total is more than twice that of the next closest team in the conference. The Buccaneers also lead the Big South in corners (5.57), goals (2.93), and assists (2.86) per match. Junior Marky Boyce leads the conference in both goals (8) and assists (7), while senior Sarah Catenacci and junior Caitlin Wesnesky are tied for second in the league with 17 points each. Add junior Michelle Dennis (15 points), senior Jen Vroman (12), and freshman Morgann Wood (12) to the mix, and CSU has six of the conference’s top ten scorers on its roster. It is worth noting that UNC Asheville has played four fewer games than the Buccaneers; however, all six players also rank in the top ten in points per game (with Boyce, Catenacci, Wesnesky, and Dennis occupying first through fourth in the category). The statistics are inflated somewhat by a 14-0 dismantling of Alabama State in the first week of the season (a match that was abandoned in the 71st minute), but the Buccaneers’ attack has been consistently lethal. The fireworks on offense have enabled CSU to get by with a middling performance on the defensive end. Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Budros ranks near the bottom of the conference in goals against average (1.42) and save percentage (.656) despite the immense ball control advantage CSU has enjoyed. The Buccaneers’ sole shutout came in their most recent outing, a 3-0 defeat of VMI behind goals from Wesnesky, Lindsey Trexler, and Rebecca Hollstegge.

UNC Asheville counters with the Big South’s best defense. The Bulldogs have the lowest team goals against average in the conference at 0.88. Senior goalkeeper Veronica Lazar, who has taken over full-time duties in the net, leads the Big South in goals against average (0.85) and ranks second in save percentage (.848). Despite the outstanding percentage, Lazar is only eighth in the league in saves per game, a testament to a stout defensive line anchored by seniors Meagan Bradham and Keri Skelton. Offensively, the Bulldogs have benefited from the breakout performance of freshman Chloe McCleary-Small, whose nine points lead the team and are ninth best in the conference. Bradham is second on the team with six points, while senior McKenna Stockhausen and junior Katy Beeler have three points each. Asheville’s performance on Saturday, in which McCleary-Small, Bradham, and Beeler each scored (and Stockhausen tallied her first assist of the year), was a welcome sight as it end a three-game scoring drought for the Bulldogs. To defeat Charleston Southern, Asheville will need to have similar success in generating opportunities on the offensive end.

The match kicks off at 4pm tomorrow at beautiful Greenwood Field. Admission is free, so come out and support the Bulldogs in this critical conference match!