North Carolina State University Athletics
Hooper's Goal Lifts Beat Over CyberRays, 2-1
5/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
May 18, 2002
The Atlanta Beat defeated the San Jose CyberRays 2-1 Saturday afternoon in the first meeting between the teams since the August 25, 2001 WUSA Championship. Charmaine Hooper, the all-time leading scorer in NC State history, netted a goal in the 89th minute for the deciding goal, as the Beat recorded its first road win of 2002. Atlanta's record moves to 2-3-1 with seven points.
With the game tied at one in the final stages of the match, Beat forward Sun Wen broke through the CyberRays defense and nearly notched the game winner. Sun Wen received a pass over the defense and was one on one with CyberRays goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene. She shot the ball past Beene, but the shot did not have a great deal of pace and was cleared by CyberRays defender Thori Bryan, a former All-American for the Wolfpack. The clearance set up a corner kick in the 89th minute for the Beat.
Beat midfielder Nikki Serlenga sent an in swinging corner kick to the middle of the penalty box. Hooper stepped away from the goal line and nodded the ball into the right corner of the goal, for her third tally of the season and the game winner. The goal was almost an exact replica of her goal versus the New York Power one week ago. Hooper has two game winning goals this season, both coming in the final minutes of the matches.
The Beat returns home for its next match on Saturday, May 25 versus the Boston Breakers at 7 p.m.
