SMC Women's Soccer Loses to Montreat in NAIA Opener, 5-2

MONTREAT, N.C. - Charlotte Craver scored twice within nearly a three-minute span of the first half to lead host Montreat to a 5-2 win over the Spartanburg Methodist College women's soccer team on Saturday. 

The two-goal effort by Craver overshadowed the history-making performance of Pioneers' sophomore Camila Moscoso. Down 3-0 at halftime, Moscoso led an offensive charge in the second 45 minutes for the visitors after a goalkeeper change.

A quick restart after a foul by the Cavaliers, Pioneers' tri-captain Krystal Martinez lobbed a ball past the Montreat defenders and to the feet of Moscoso, who went to the lower edge of the goal to make it a 3-1 game barely a minute into the second half.

After a corner kick in the 54^th minute, Moscoso emerged from a scramble in front of the box for her second goal of the contest to make it a one-goal contest. Pioneers head coach Kyle Campbell and his team felt as the momentum of the game had shifted its way. 

The Pioneers nearly had the equalizer on a shot by Martinez in the 67th minute but the attempt managed to hit the crossbar. 

Montreat came back with a pair of goals in the 71^st and 80^th minute, respectively to spoil the comeback hopes but the efforts did not dampen the spirit of SMC head coach Kyle Campbell for the efforts of his team. 

"I am super proud of this team," said the SMC head coach after the contest. "We are working to get all our pieces of the puzzle to come together. This team is working hard to bring it together and when we do, I feel we are going to be a very dangerous club." 

Next up for SMC is an exhibition matchup on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at the Nash Soccer Field against Life University JV.