Spring Break
Soccer tops Rice, falls to Central Florida
Sean Armstrong
Issue date: 9/18/07 Section: Sports
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After tying the game at 2-2 with just six minutes left, the Bulldogs suffered their third straight loss by one goal when Courtney Whidden's second goal of the game handed Central Florida a late 3-2 win.
MSU had tied the game twice in the last 15 minutes through goals by Heather Buttrey and Treena Ferguson but UCF struck back almost immediately each time to stay ahead.
The game started brightly for State with Jessica Davis playing from an advanced midfield position to link up with forwards Treena Ferguson and Katelyn Graben.
A scramble in the box after a UCF corner led to a counter attack for the Lady Bulldogs, with freshman Danielle Kite's pass finding Graben on the right whose lay off allowed Ferguson to shoot high from 30 yards.
With seconds left in the half, the breakthrough finally came. Another UCF corner saw Whidden's volleyed effort find the top corner from five yards giving the Knights their first lead of the night.
At the 75-minute mark, MSU found their equalizer. Heather Buttrey picked up the ball from Ashley Hood's pass, and her shot from just inside the box found the bottom right corner for State's first score.
Less than a minute later, the Knights took the lead again, this time from Nicki Moore's 40 yard shot that found its way over Taryn Holland's outstretched hands for a 2-1 lead.
Eighty two minutes in, State was handed an advantaged as Yvonne George was sent off for a bad foul. The Lady Bulldogs capitalized minutes later, with Ferguson's fifth goal of the season going in off the bar to tie the game at 2-2.
As before, MSU was subject to a quick response from the Knights with Courtney Whidden's second goal of the game coming with just four minutes left in the game, finishing the match off at 3-2.
Head coach Neil MacDonald said he was pleased with the effort but noted a few areas for improvement.
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