CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Karem Rodrigues cleaned up a rebound with under two minutes to play in the match and gave No. 17 West Virginia State the 2-1 victory over cross-county rival Charleston on Saturday at the Welsh Athletic Complex on the UC campus. 

The Golden Eagles (9-9-0, 9-7-0 MEC) took 22 shots at the Yellow Jacket goal while State (15-1-2, 13-1-2 MEC) took just 10 shots. UC also held the shots on goal advantage, 10-5.

The first half had no shortage of offensive attempts, but both teams took their time feeling each other out at the beginning of the half. State took six minutes before taking their first shot and UC took their first shot in in the 11th minute. After that, both teams held their foot on the gas taking 15 total shots in the half with seven finding their mark. Laura Galindo made four saves in the first half. The match stayed scoreless until the 40th minute. Esther Dhiramo took a long ball from Galindo and snuck in behind the UC defense. The UC defense poked it away toward the touch line, but Billie Jean Davies was able to keep it from going out. Meanwhile, the UC defense relaxed a little and Davies was able to get a cross to Dhiramo, catching the defender off guard. Dhiramo's header was flicked right back to her and she one-timed the ball out of the air into the bottom left corner of the Golden Eagle net, 1-0. UC responded quickly, just three minutes later and tied it 1-1 heading to the locker room.

Neither team was willing to take a draw and continued to apply pressure to the defense throughout the second half. UC took 12 additional shots at Galindo who made all five saves necessary in the half. State took another five shots at the UC net. It looked like the match may end up even, but with less then two minutes to play, a collision in the goal going for a loose ball between Dhiramo, two UC defenders and the UC goal keeper allowed Rodrigues to put away the eventual game winner with 1:42 showing on the clock. UC couldn't get another chance off and State knocked off the Golden Eagles at UC for the second time in as many years.

State now heads into the Mountain East Conference tournament where they will be the No. 1 seed in the South Division and will host on Nov. 1. The time for the match and the opponent will be announced at a later date.