In the final non-conference game of the season, South Carolina women’s soccer was unable to control possession, leading to a 1-0 loss to Virginia Tech on Sunday evening at Stone Stadium.
Missed opportunities and chances were what lost the Gamecocks the game.
"We missed some chances that we should have put away, and that changes the whole game," head coach Shelley Smith said. "You can't expect the game to just come to you, you got to work.”
Junior forward Eveleen Hahn had the first chance of the game in the 13th minute, but her shot sailed just wide.
Soon after, Virginia Tech broke open the scoring early in the 20th minute, with a through ball from senior midfielder Emily Gray to redshirt junior forward Nicole Kozlova.
Later in the first half, the Gamecocks looked to have the game-tying goal. Sophomore forward Catherine Barry put it in from close, but the Gamecocks were ruled offsides. This play was representative of the Gamecocks' play in the first half as the team was unable to finish chances offensively. The team had three shots in the first half and one was on goal.
Following a horde of substitutions from both teams, redshirt junior midfielder Samantha Chang received a yellow card in the 39th minute. The momentum swung back to Virginia Tech as the Hokies took possession over the ball and created two chances late in the first half. The chances were both put away nicely by Gamecock junior goalkeeper Heather Hinz. Hinz had three saves in the half and four on the day.
The second half was more of the same. The Gamecocks were able to generate chances via the counterattack, but failed to convert. The Gamecocks had four shots in the second half, two of which were on goal.
The final chance of the game came from sophomore forward Corinna Zullo as a last-ditch effort to tie the game in the 90th minute, which was then saved by Virginia Tech sophomore goalkeeper Alia Skinner.
The 12th ranked Gamecocks will head to their conference foe Missouri on Thursday to open up SEC play. The game can be viewed live on the SEC Network at 7 p.m.
Missouri is 4-3 on the year, and lost its previous contest to the No. 22 Brigham Young University Cougars.