Brinkley Adams provided a spark off the bench for the Bruins on Friday night as the sophomore scored the lone goal to give BJU a 1-0 region win over Carolina University. With the win, the Bruins improve to 2-3 on the season.
"We started out pretty slow tonight but were able to get into our rhythm of play as the match went on," Bruins Head Coach Chris Carmichael said. "There are areas we can tighten up but overall I thought we did a really good job to come away with the win."
The Bruins came into the match on the heels of back to back losses and the team was looking to get back on track as they welcomed Carolina University. CU came into the match at 1-1 overall.
In the opening minutes, both teams traded possession as each tried to get into their rhythm and pace of play. The Bruins were able to get scoring chances early on as Gabriela Gonzalez, Hannah Johnston and Kayle Stevenson each had shots on frame. Still, the Bruins couldn't seem to find the back of the net.
As the half wore on, the Bruins continued to possess well but began to struggle to sustain possession in the attacking third. Coach Carmichael went to the bench with several subs throughout the half which proved to be key.
With fourteen minutes remaining in the half, Brinkley Adams gave the Bruins the upper hand as she created space and fired a beautiful shot into the back of the net to put the team up 1-0. The Bruins had another chance in the waning minutes of the first half as Gabriela Gonzalez hit the post on a shot but the halftime buzzer sounded with the Bruins leading Carolina 1-0.
At halftime, the Bruins honored their lone senior Kendall Rossiter in a special ceremony. Rossiter has played the past two seasons with the Bruins as the backup goalkeeper for the team.
In the second half, the Bruins came out looking to extend their lead. For Carolina, the mission was to equalize and it showed as they were able to gain several looks on frame. Angelina Martin came up with six saves for the Bruins on the night and the defensive line stood strong to contest shots.
As the match was coming to a close, the Bruins looked to put the exclamation point on the win. Gabriela Gonzalez was able to chase down a loose ball and sent a centering pass into the middle. Brinkley Adams nearly netted the centering pass but the shot was saved by Carolina keeper Jamison Calhoun.
Carolina tried to mount one last effort to equalize, but the Bruins defense was up to the task as they turned aside opportunities. The final buzzer sounded to secure the clean sheet for the Bruins as they held on to win 1-0 over Carolina University.
"We wanted to win, especially at home," Bruins midfielder Kayle Stevenson said after the game. "Now, looking ahead at the games we have coming up on the road we hope this will start our winning streak. But it was nice to get the win at home."
The Bruins out shot Carolina 20-8 in the match including an 11-6 on goal margin. Brinkley Adams netted her second goal of the season as the Bruins improve to 2-3 on the season and 1-0 in region play.
Next up, the Bruins will be back home again on October 10 as they welcome Brewton-Parker College to Alumni Stadium.
