BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An early goal put UAB women’s soccer in a hole it never climbed out of on Sunday night in Birmingham, Ala., as Charlotte left PNC Field with a 2-0 win and a ticket to the American Conference tournament.
Penelope Rich gave the 49ers the lead in the seventh minute with just her second goal of the year, pouncing when the Blazers could not clear a loose ball in the box. Charlotte controlled the first half, outshooting UAB 10-2 before the break. The Blazers did not put a shot on goal until the 28th minute, when Vita Naihin tested goalkeeper Harlee Head.
Lucie Bertrand doubled the lead in the 55th minute, her goal in a third straight match. Kathleen Ngulefac set up both Charlotte goals.
UAB pushed hard after that. The Blazers took four shots in the next eight minutes and finished the second half with a 10-4 edge in attempts. Avery Berryman, Caitlin Keeling, Ava Mills and Mia Leath all put shots on target, but Head stopped all five she faced for the shutout. It was her fourth clean sheet this fall, and she now has 51 saves on the season.
Berryman led UAB with three shots, and Leath and Naihin had two apiece. Blazers keeper Macie Murphy made three saves over the full 90 minutes. Charlotte finished with 14 shots, five on goal.
The result drops UAB to 8-7-1 overall and 5-3-0 in league play, and Charlotte, now 9-5-1 and 5-2-1, jumped past the Blazers into second place in the standings with two matches left.
UAB plays at South Florida on Friday, Oct. 30, with a 6 p.m. Central kickoff.
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