Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Conway Winthrop BSC
Big South Sports Photos

Women's Soccer

CONWAY'S LATE PENALTY KICKS LIFT RADFORD OVER TOWSON IN HOME OPENER, 2-1

BOX SCORE


RADFORD, Va. – Senior Rachel Conway converted a pair of late penalty kicks, including the 87th-minute game-winner, as Radford women's soccer escaped its home opener with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Towson on Friday evening at Cupp Stadium.

The victory extended the Highlanders' home unbeaten streak to 11 matches (9-0-2) and regular season unbeaten streak to 16 matches (11-0-5). It was also their fifth straight triumph in home openers.
 
Trailing 1-0 with under 15 minutes to go, the Highlanders (1-0-1) put some pressure on Tigers (1-2) deep in the final third and it paid off when senior Julie Ruh'e intercepted an errant clear in the 18-yard boz and was tripped up as she made her move toward goal. Conway stepped up and drilled it left past the keeper in the 78th minute.
 
As Radford continued the mount an attack, a 12-yard shot by senior Sahar Aflaki hit a Towson defender's arm and Radford was awarded a second penalty kick with just 3:01 left in the match. Conway, last year's leading scorer, calmly made her way to the PK spot and put it in low and to the right for the game-winner. It was the senior midfielder's first two goals of the season and 12th and 13th of her career. It also was her sixth career game-winner.

"Great team win tonight thanks to some great senior leadership," commented head coach Ben Sohrabi. "We need to get a bit more consistant, but it was a good first regular season win."
 
Behind an early Emily Banes (5th) goal, Towson took a 1-0 lead into halftime. The Highlanders held the advantage in both shots (9-3) and corner kicks (5-0), but could not find the back of the net. Erin Quinn stopped all four Highlander shots on goal, while senior Che' Brown made one stop.
 
Banes took advantage of a defensive miscue just outside the six-yard box to put the Tigers on the board. After her initial shot from inside the six was stopped, she roofed it into the net from a seated position.
 
That goal came just a few minutes after Aflaki's hard blast was tipped away by Quinn. Another chance came late on a first-half header, but Ruh'e's header whizzed just wide with 39 seconds left.
 
Radford dodged an early second-half Towson scoring opportunity as a shot from the top of the 18 during a corner hit the crossbar and Brown made a quick recovery and sliding save on the point-blank rebound attempt.
 
The Highlanders outshot the Tigers, 16-11 and held a 6-5 edge in corner kicks. Conway and TU's Banes generated a game-high five shots apiece. Quinn finished with six saves for the Tiger, while Brown registered three.
 
Radford hits the road for a Sunday afternoon tilt at Old Dominion. The Highlanders and Monarchs kick off at 1:00 p.m.

  
Print Friendly Version