FORT MYERS, FL- Lipscomb (8-3-2, 3-0-0) scored 1:18 into the game and never gave #24 FGCU (9-1-2, 3-1-0) space to get going Sunday afternoon, stunning the Eagles 1-0 on their home turf to send the Green and Blue to their first defeat of the 2018 season.
"Obviously it was a disappointing result, but the better team today won" head coach
Jim Blankenship said. "The same thing happened last year and we bounced back to win the tournament, that will be the goal again."
It was a disastrous start for the Eagles in the much anticipated matchup as Lipscomb needed just 1:18 to put the first goal on the board, sneaking one into the FGCU net to take the quick 1-0 lead.
The Eagles pushed the ball into the attacking third a number of times over the first 15 minutes, but weren't able to generate any real chances as they remained behind by one.
On the other side, the Lady Bisons tested
Melissa Weck (Yorba Linda, CA/Esperanza HS) a number of times, but the Eagle keeper was up to the task, keeping it a one goal game through the middle portion of the first.
It wouldn't be until the 44th minute that the Eagles would get another shot and so the game sailed to the half with the score 1-0 in favor of Lipscomb.
Lipscomb outshot FGCU 7-5 in the first half. Five of the Bisons' shots were on goal while the Eagles didn't manage a single shot on net in the period.
FGCU found two decent chances early in the second half, but neither shot was on target. They finally put their first shot on goal in the 54th minute as
Camille Knudstrup (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins HS) struck a low line drive, but it was stopped and the Eagles continued to chase their elusive first goal.
Weck continued to keep Lipscomb from extending their lead, but the Eagles were unable to break through against a packed in Bisons defense as they didn't get another shot on goal until the 76th minute when
Alyssa Abbondandolo (Cape Coral, FL/Oasis HS) struck a shape angled shot to the near post before it was stopped to keep it a 1-0 game.
The Eagles had their final chance in the 88th minute as they got a free kick from just outside the box, but the shot was stopped easily and the final horn sounded with the Lady Bisons celebrating a 1-0 win.
The final stats heavily favored the Lady Bisons as they got off 17 shots, eight on net, while FGCU finished with 12 shots and just three on goal. The lone stat that the Eagles won on the afternoon was corners where they managed four to just one for Lipscomb.
Weck made seven saves in the loss while Knudstrup, Abbondandolo, and
Marjorie Boilesen (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Porto Seguro/West Florida) had the Eagles three shots on goal.
FGCU drops to 9-1-2 on the year and 3-1-0 in ASUN action while Lipscomb improves to 8-3-2 and 3-0-0 in conference play.
The Eagles will look to regroup next week when they take on NJIT Thursday in Newark and Kennesaw State Sunday in Georgia.
ASUN RESULTS SUNDAY
Lipscomb 1 #24 FGCU 0
Kennesaw St. 3 North Florida 2 (2OT)
North Alabama 1 Stetson 0
NJIT 4 Jacksonville 0
UPDATED ASUN STANDINGS
| School |
Pts |
ASUN |
Overall |
| 1. Lipscomb |
9 |
3-0-0 |
8-3-2 |
| 2. FGCU |
9 |
3-1-0 |
9-1-2 |
| Kennesaw St. |
9 |
3-1-0 |
10-3-0 |
| NJIT |
9 |
3-1-0 |
9-3-1 |
| 5. North Alabama |
6 |
2-1-0 |
8-5-0 |
| 6. Jacksonville |
3 |
1-3-0 |
1-10-1 |
| 7. Stetson |
1 |
0-3-1 |
3-7-3 |
| North Florida |
1 |
0-3-1 |
5-6-1 |
| 9. Liberty |
0 |
0-2-0 |
1-9-0 |
FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the ASUN Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just 11 seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to 11 double-digit win seasons, culminating with ASUN Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN Tournament titles and became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN Tournament and hosted the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015 while finishing 24th in the nation. In 2016, the Eagles made it three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament with a third-straight ASUN Tournament title. A year later, the Eagles became the first ASUN women's soccer program to make four-straight NCAA Tournaments with another tournament title in 2017. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 152-52-23 (72.0 W%) overall record through the first 12 seasons of the program's existence, including a 74-12-14 (81.0 W%) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 392-123-34 (74.5 W%) over 26 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
