Smith's Late Goal Paves Way for Women's Soccer to Take Opener Over Raiders

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Senior Cat Smith scored a late winner as Frostburg State Women's Soccer opened their 2024 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Shippensburg on Thursday evening.
 
The hosts began the game on the front foot, using an early attack down the left wing to earn a corner kick, but the resulting header was put wide of senior Katie Sterne's goal. FSU earned their own corner eight minutes later, but it equally came to nothing.
 
SU picked up the pace over the next 15 minutes, earning another pair of corners before Sterne was called into action, making a catch on a shot from distance, the first effort from either side. Both teams struggled to find offensive chances, with one shot high and wide each as the half headed to the final five.
 
Sophomore Amanda Hawbecker tested her luck from just outside the box with two and a half minutes left, firing just too close to Raider keeper Kirstin Brown. In the final minute, a long-distance free kick from senior Mei Homman was able to find Smith, but her acrobatic effort went over the bar, bringing the first half to a close at 0-0.
 
Five minutes into the second half, Homman sent in another free kick, finding the head of senior Madi Allen, who directed it towards goal, but couldn't find the pace on it to beat Brown. Another 20 went by before Shippensburg picked up the pressure again, winning another corner from which a shot was sent high and wide, then a free kick was whipped into the box, as Sterne was able to make a routine save on a header to keep the game scoreless into the last 15 minutes.
 
With time winding down, the Raiders sent a cross on the ground into the center of the box for a shot that didn't trouble Sterne much. The Bobcats made their way up the field, as senior Carolyn DeSena earned a corner with just under six minutes left. She would be the one to take it, lofting it to the middle of the box, where Smith rose highest to meet it, as an SU defender just couldn't do enough to clear it off the line for the 1-0 FSU lead.
 
Frostburg's defense held firm the rest of the way, not allowing the Raiders a chance to tie the game, as Sterne and the defense picked up the clean sheet.
 
In an extremely even contest, FSU narrowly out-shot the Raiders 7-6, with both teams getting three on target, while SU held a 5-4 advantage in corners.
 
With the victory, the Bobcats begin their season 1-0, while Shippensburg starts 0-1. Frostburg is back in action on Saturday, September 7 for a 3 p.m. game against Indiana (Pa.) at the MD Soccerplex in Boyds, Md. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.