MARIETTA, Ga. — The Life University women's soccer team hosted their first home game in the Southern States Conference Saturday afternoon. The Running Eagles added another win to the record after a 5-2 win over Faulkner University.
The game started slow for the Running Eagles who fell behind early as Faulkner scored in the 13th minute after pressing the team high up on the field. Life U received a corner in the 19th minute which Lilja Bjorg Olafsdottir placed perfectly in the box for junior Faith Martin to head it into the net, making the score 1-1.
After the equalizer the Running Eagles kept pushing Faulkner down their half, but that didn't stop the Eagles from scoring. Faulkner scored another goal from a long shot in the 25th minute to put them ahead on the scoreboard again. The two teams kept battling throughout the half until Phoenix Parks capitalized on a beautiful cross from Gabby Cruzado in the 39th minute. Despite Life U holding a favorable 12-3 shot advantage in the first half, the two teams went into halftime 2-2.
After halftime, the Running Eagles came in stronger and continued their offensive push to dominate the second half with a 13-1 shot advantage. Not long after the whistle was blown, Sacha Millward was able to get her head on a cross from Olafsdottir in the 48th minute to put the Running Eagles in the lead.
Life U kept pushing down Faulkner's defense in which Martin was able to score her second goal of the game after an assist from Rebecca Noren in the 55th minute. The Running Eagles were not done quite yet! After receiving a free kick outside the box, Noren once again delivered an assist as Nellie Pedersen scored a beautiful goal from outside the box to finish off the game in the 73rd minute.
Next up, the Running Eagles will travel to Crochan, Ga on Wednesday October 2 at 5.30 PM to take on Middle Georgia University in SSAC play.
TURNING POINT:
– Life U was able to equalize during the first half to stay in the game
– Life U was able to come in stronger in second half to take the lead in the 48th minute through Millward's goal
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
– Martin scored two goals
– Noren and Bjorg Olafsdottir both had two assists each.
– Four Running Eagles scored in Saturday's contest.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
--In total, Life U took 25 shots to Faulkner's four.
– In total, Life U had 14 corners to Faulkner's zero.
