Coastal Carolina women’s soccer sees their season end in heartbreaking fashion

Coastal Carolina women’s soccer season ended with an overtime loss to the Georgia State Panthers in the Sun Belt quarterfinals on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Georgia State hopped out to an early lead in the fifth minute when Lily Barron slotted home the cross from the right side of the field.

Coastal responded quickly though, thanks to a goal by Abby Gashel in the eighth minute. Gashel received the ball from teammate Hannah Miller and rifled a shot from distance that found the back of the net, evening the score at a goal apiece.

Despite going into the halftime break, the Chanticleers were the more dominant side in the final 15 minutes, creating chance after chance.

Coastal got their breakthrough goal in the 61st minute thanks to Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year and Coastal Carolina forward Hannah Miller. Miller’s goal gave the Chanticleers the 2-1 lead and the hopes of keeping the season alive.

However, Georgia State had other things in mind as Caitlin Ray’s goal in the 82nd minute tied things up between the Panthers and the Chanticleers. Georgia State’s initial shot was saved by Coastal’s Eva Knapstein but it wasn’t a clean save. The ball bounced off Knapstein’s gloves and rolled in front of the goal frame and that was when Ray smashed the ball into the back of the net.

The momentum that Georgia State had picked up from that goal carried over into the first overtime period as Brooke Shank barreled her way into the box completely unmarked and headed home the winner in the 94th minute, giving the Panthers the 3-2 win and ending the Chanticleers season.

Coastal Carolina ends the year with a record of 8-8-1.