6 AUGUST 31,2016
THEBLUEBANNER.NET
SPORTS
Section Editotr: Charles Heacd
Women's soccer wins first match of the season
CHARLES HEARD
Sports Editor
cheard@unca.edu
UNC Asheville women’s
soccer team beat the Wofford
Terriers Wednesday night with
two goals from Ellie Stone, a
19-year-old sophomore biology
student at UNCA.
The team arrived in Spartan
burg to face the Terriers with a
0-2 record and no goals in either
of those matches. Wednesday’s
match was scoreless all through
the first half and mid way
through the second. The Bull
dogs kept the ball at the Terriers
end for most of the match and
created a lot of scoring oppor
tunities finishing with 16 shots.
The Bulldogs first goal came
from a header by Stone off a
corner in minute 70. Stone said
the goal felt great being because
it came so late in the match.
“Having not scored all sea
son, it was a great feeling finally
getting one into the back of the
net,’’ Stone said after the match.
The Bulldogs earned another
corner kick four minutes later in
Bulldog forward Rachel Snyder
Wofford defenders,
the match and Stone deflected
the cross into the goal. Defen
sively, the team allowed few
scoring opportunities for the
Terriers, as highlighted by the
Terriers mere three total cor
ner kicks. The Bulldogs goal
ie Keller Dixon maintained a
scoreless game until the very
end with five saves, a few of
which she made one on one
against oncoming strikers. The
shut-out lasted until minute 89
,! JilSiliHiBil
Photo by Charles Heard
heads the ball amid
when the Terriers got past Ashe
ville’s defensive line and scored
a consolation goal.
After the match, team cap
tain Paige Trent, a 21-year-old
psychology student said she is
confident in the team’s abilities
going forward.
“It was an important time,
coming from two losses, to
come in and have a big team win
and that’s what we did,” Trent
said. “It was electric out there
CASSIDY FOWLER
Sports Staff Writer
cfowler@unca.edu
As a child, Allie Chason nev
er wanted to play the “girly”
games with her older sister.
She longed to participate in the
“tomboy” activities.
“I always just wanted to -be
outside. Once my Uncle David
started a rec soccer team, my
parents allowed me to play for
him. As soon as I started, they
said ‘oh yeah, she’s going to
love this.’”
That was the moment the
UNC Asheville sophomore
women’s soccer player knew
soccer was her passion.
“This summer 1 was out every
Photo by Cassidy Fowler
Soccer player Allie Chason
relaxes on the quad,
morning, playing and running,
then playing and running,” Cha
son said. “.^Now, that’s what I
find fun. I Just want to go out to
the field.”
Chason said her role as a
rookie on the team is different
than she expeeted.
“The most interesting thing
for me is going from being on
a club team in high school, win
ning three state championships,
competing in regional events
and being a team captain, to
transitioning to being essential
ly a bench-warmer.”
Some of her responsibilities
as second-string include being
part of the opposing team for the
starters in practices and rooting
on her teammates in games.
“The main thing you learn is,
while on a team, every role mat
ters.”
Chason enjoys helping pre
pare her teammates for their
games, making her appreciate
the moments that she gets to be
on the field even more.
The constant competition is
part of what keeps her driven as
tonight. Our team was looking
good out there so I’m excited
for the rest of the season.”
Head coach Michelle Demko
said the win, coming off of two
losses, reflected what the team
is about and what it looks to
accomplish as the season pro
gresses.
“The result of tonight’s game
and how they played says a lot
about their determination, char
acter and team dignity. It was
really fun to be a part of. So go
ing forward, the expectation is
what we demonstrated tonight
on the field,” Demko said.
Trent said coach Demko has
made a point of emphasizing
performance at away matches.
“Something Michelle has
done this year is push us out of
our comfort zone when we play
away. It feels good to come into
someone else’s house and beat
them. It’s a happier bus ride on
the way home and it raises our
confidence to a new level know
ing that we don’t need fans in
the stands to win.”
Passionate role player provides support for Bulldogs
AUG.31-SEPT.5
CALENDAR
Wednesday
4 p.m.
Handball
Student Rec Center
Racquetball Court C
6:30 p.m.
High Intensity Functional
Conditioning
Justice Center 103
Friday
5:30 p.m.
Zumba
Sherrill Center 306
Sunday
1 p.m.
Women's Soccer v.
Kennesaw State
Greenwood Soccer Field
SPORTS stats
a player.
“Even though you’re not
starting and you may only go in
for five minutes, those five min
utes are like your job,” Chason
said. “You make that time the
hardest you’ll work the whole
season.”
Chason said the NCAA con
ducted a study showing 2.3 per
cent of female high school soc
cer players go on to play at the
Division One level.
Becoming a part of UNCA
women’s soccer team was an
opportunity she could not pass
up.
“My favorite quote is ‘if
you’re gonna go for it, why not
go all the way?”’
Women's Soccer
August 19
Final
Tennessee Tech @
2
UNC Asheville
0
August 21
Final
UNC Asheville @
0
The Citadel
2
August 24
Final
UNC Asheville @
2
Wofford College
1
August 26
Final
UNC Asheville @
3
Western Carolina University 1
Men's Soccer
August 26
Final
UNC Asheville
1
Elon University
4
August 28
Final
UNC Asheville
1
Duke University
5
Volleyball
August 26
Final
UNC Asheville
T
University of Georgia
3
August 27
Final
UNC Asheville
0
University of San Francisco 3
August 28
Final
UNC Asheville
3
Savannah State University 0