NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Opening Atlantic Sun Conference play, the Lipscomb women’s soccer team dropped a 3-2 decision to North Florida Friday night at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex. 

 

The Lady Bisons dropped to 2-5-2 overall and 0-1-0 in A-Sun play while the Ospreys improve to 3-6-1 and 1-0-0 in the loop. 

 

“It was a tough one for us tonight,” Lipscomb head coach Kevin O’Brien said. “I thought we came out and played really well in the first half. We created lots of chances, scored a couple goals, hit the cross bar and had a chance to go up 3-1. I think if we do, the mentality of the game changes and the opponent loses a little hope.”

 

With the third corner kick in the first 11 minutes of play, Caroline Chadwell made a perfectly placed pass to Baylee Linnell who headed the ball into the net for her third goal of the season.

 

North Florida struck the equalizer in the 21st minute.  After a scrum in front of the goal Thea Linkfield slid into the ball and pushed it across the goal line after picking up a rebound off the cross bar from Heather Botelho. 

 

In the 38th minute Linnell placed her throw-in perfectly to the feet of Chadwell, who proceeded to strike her first career goal from 10 yards out. Linnell’s throw came in on a tight-rope 25 yards out from Chadwell to set up the play.

 

Coming out of the intermission break, the Ospreys tacked on their second goal as Linkfield found Michele Larrinaga in the middle of the box, punching the ball into the goal.

 

The deciding goal came in the 84th minute as Botelho hit a direct shot from 18 yards out for the game-winner.

 

“I thought the girls played at a higher level than they have the last couple of games,  but I’m a little discouraged that we couldn’t preserve the lead,” O’Brien said. “There are some positives,   but obviously there are some negatives that we need to correct in order to be successful moving forward.”

 

Lipscomb continues the opening weekend of A-Sun play on Sunday with a 1 p.m. match against Jacksonville at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex.  Sunday’s match will be shown on A-Sun TV.