November 04, 2011

LaGrange, GA-The Salem College soccer team lost a heartbreaking semifinal match against Piedmont College 4-3. The Spirits went ahead twice in the first-half by 2 goals, but they could not hold on for the win. They finish the season with an 11-5-2 record, the third straight year the program has eclipsed the 10 win mark.

Anna Trakas (Tryon, NC) scored two goals in the first 9 minutes to give Salem an early 2-0 lead. Both goals were unassisted. Piedmont would score their 1st goal only a minute later to come within one goal. Salem would continue to pressure in the first-half, and MacKenzie Schmidt (Columbus, OH) capitalized on a Courtney Hedgecock (San Diego, CA) pass to give Salem a 3-1 lead in the 34th minute. Piedmont would score twice in the last 6 minutes of the half to go into the break with the game tied 3-3.

Head Coach Jay Callahan said "We executed our game plan in the first 40 minutes exactly like we wanted to and had a 2 goal lead with just a handful of minutes left in the first half. I think that we would have prevailed in the game if we could have kept that lead going into the break, but Piedmont showed a lot of resiliency to score twice at the end of the first half."

Piedmont would score the game winner in the 58th minute, which was the only goal in the 2nd half.

"Our team fought through a lot of adversity this season and they fought all the way to the end," said Callahan. "Our entire team that finished the season showed a lot of heart and we were playing our best soccer at the end of the season just like we planned."