UNCP soccer rallies for 4 second-half goals, stuns Chowan

MURFREESBORO — The UNC Pembroke soccer team faced a three-goal deficit heading into halftime, but exploded for four goals in the second half to take a massive 4-3 divisional win over Chowan in Conference Carolinas action Saturday evening at the CU Soccer Complex.

The three-goal deficit is the largest comeback win in program history.

Klara Persson and Leila Utate each logged a brace in the second half, alternating goals as Persson notched the equalizer and Utate the game-winner in the 86th minute. Jahniyah Augustus tallied two assists, while Lilly Vegborn Green and Hailey Jones each added one apiece.

The Braves (9-1-5, 8-0-4 CC) moved to 14-2-2 all-time against the Hawks (4-10-0, 4-7-0 CC).

Chowan’s Amy Cotton played a ball into the box that found the foot of Addisen Palmer, who one-touched it home to put the Hawks up 1-0 in the 10th minute before a UNCP handball inside the penalty area gave Chowan a penalty kick, as Laura Hulme calmly knocked it home to make it 2-0 in the 15th minute. Riley Donnelly headed a ball ahead to Meah Cuddihy, who tapped it home side net to stretch the Chowan lead to 3-0 in the 32nd minute as UNCP entered the break down 3-0.

The Braves began its comeback as Augustus found a streaking Persson down the middle of the pitch, as Persson collected and fired a left-footed strike from the edge of the penalty area over the leaping Chowan goalkeeper to make it 3-1 in the 66th minute.

Jones played a ball to Augustus, who found Utate making a run into the box and one-touched it home to cut it to 3-2 in the 71st minute. A Chowan foul led to a UNCP free kick, as Persson lofted a perfect shot that landed side net for the equalizer.

In the 86th minute, Lilly Vegborn Green carried a counter-attack from a Chowan corner kick nearly the length of the field before finding a wide-open Utate, who tapped it home off the post and into the net to complete the wild comeback, giving UNCP a 4-3 win.

UNCP’s Persson scored her third and fourth goals of the year while Utate tallied her second and third goals of the season.

Augustus logged her first and second assists of the season and Jones picked up her fifth assist.

Vegborn Green tallied her first collegiate assist.

The Braves will be back in action Friday as they head to Barton to close out the regular season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Barton Outdoor Athletics Complex.

UNCP swimming competes against ECU, UNC Asheville

Noelie Lacour and Benedetta Pepe Pugliese picked up event titles to highlight action for the UNC Pembroke swim team as the Braves battled East Carolina and UNC Asheville inside the Minges Natatorium on Saturday.

Lacour topped the field in the 100-yard butterfly with an NCAA B Standard time of 55.95. Pepe Pugliese took first place in the 200-yard breaststroke with an NCAA B Standard mark of 2:18.03. Pepe Pugliese also recorded an NCAA B Standard time in the 400-yard individual medley picking up a second place finish.

The Braves tallied 15 top three finishes during the meet.

UNC Pembroke Team A, consisting of Noelie Lacour, Kaeleigh Couples, Fabiana Pesce and Naekeisha Louis finished second in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:46.44.

In the 1000-yard freestyle, UNCP’s Sofia Pereira finished third with a time of 10:36.24 while Callie Lambert was sixth, finishing in 10:46.82. Finally, Ella Humbert was 10th with a time of 11:13.93.

The Braves’ Fabiana Pesce was fourth in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:58.02 while Gabby Hyson finished seventh with a time of 2:00.22. Finally, Paola Curet-Torres finished 11th for UNCP in 2:03.09.

In the 50-yard freestyle, Lacour and Kayla Smith finished tied for secopnd with a time of 23.83 seconds.

Louis placed fourth with a time of 24.16.

Benedetta Pepe Pugliese was fifth in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing in 2:08.56 for the Braves while Kaeleigh Cupples was seventh, finishing in 2:13.64. Finally, Katie Raleigh placed 10th with a time of 2:19.54.

Lacour finished second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 58.92 seconds while Curet-Torres was seventh, finishing in 1:01.21.

The 100-yard breastroke saw Pugliese place third with a time of 1:06.31 while Cupples was sixth, finishing in 1:09.17. Ella Humbert placed eighth with a time of 1:14.62.

UNCP’s Gabby Hyson was third in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:06.99 while Kaeleigh Cupples was seventh, finishing in 2:18.40 and Callie Lambert was eighth with a time of 2:21.60.

In the 400-yard freestyle relay, UNC Pembroke ‘A’, consisting of Lacour, Pugliese, Pesce and Smith placed fourth with a time of 3:56.89.

Pereira was second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:13.20 while Lambert was fifth, finishing in 5:19.12. Humbert placed eighth with a time of 5:29.19.

Smith was third in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.60 seconds while Lacour was fourth, finishing in 53.23 seconds and Louis was sixth with a time of 53.97 seconds.

Curet-Torres was fourth in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:12.14 and Hyson was 10th with a time of 2:17.21.

Pugliese won the 200-yard breastroke, finishing in 2:18.03, a UNCP record while Cupples was fifth with a time of 2:28.90 and Humbert was seventh with a time of 2:39.37.

Lacour won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 55.95 seconds, a UNCP record, while Kennice Greene was third with a time of 57.67 seconds. Hyson placed fourth with a time of 57.84 seconds.

Pugliese was second in the 400 Yard Individual Medley, finishing in 4:28.35, a new UNCP record while Lambert was seventh with a time of 4:52.17 and Cupples was eighth, finishing in 4:57.50.

UNC Pembroke ‘A’, consisting of Lacour, Greene, Smith and Pesce was second in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:35.99.

UNC Pembroke will be back in action on Nov. 14 for the Barton Tri-Meet. The Braves will face Chowan and Barton at noon inside the Wilson YMCA.

UNCP volleyball knocks off Southern Wesleyan

The UNC Pembroke volleyball team recorded nine service aces and hit .214 from the net to defeat Southern Wesleyan 3-1 on Saturday afternoon inside Tysinger Gymnasium.

The Braves (17-8, 13-3 CC) improve to 8-1 all-time against the Warriors (9-10, 7-8 CC) and have now won the last seven matches against SWU.

Abby Peduzzi’s kill knotted the score at 20 apiece, but the Braves would get set point, 25-24 after winning three points in a row. Southern Wesleyan fought off a set point and won four of the final five points to take the opening set 28-26. Peduzzi, Addie Decker and Savannah Whaley each had four kills in the set.

UNCP won the second set 25-18 after holding a 19-15 advantage after an ill-timed service error from SWU, but the Braves won six of the final nine points to win the second set. UNCP outhit SWU .300 to .140 in the set as Peduzzi logged five kills. Emily Collings and Tyler Patterson both had a service ace.

UNC Pembroke got a quick start in the third set and pushed its lead out to 16-9 after a kill from Addie Decker. The Warriors tried to cut into the deficit, 21-13, but the Braves won four of the final eight points, winning the set 25-17. Decker registered five kills.

Peduzzi totaled 18 kills to lead UNCP while Decker had 14 and Whaley had 12.

Collings set up the Braves perfectly with a team-high 25 assists while Patterson had 23 and Dillman had six.

Dillman had a team-high 28 digs while Peduzzi had 18 and Whaley had 15.

Alexandria Mills led UNCP with four blocks while Peduzzi and Whaley each had one.

Collings led the Braves with three service aces while Peduzzi had two and Patterson had one.

The Braves will make the trip to Wilson on Wednesday to face Barton. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. inside Wilson Gymnasium.