Women's Soccer Nets Four Goals in Shutout
September 21, 2014 04:17 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 13-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team used its third straight four-goal effort to defeat Villanova 4-0, today, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
The victory closed out the Mountaineers’ (7-2-1) eight-match homestand and pushed the team’s unbeaten streak to seven matches. WVU has not dropped a match since losing 2-0 to then-No. 21 Duke on Aug. 29.
“This is an opportunity for us to recognize what’s working at this point of the season. On the flipside, this is also an opportunity for us to recognize the focus, intensity and attitude we need to have for wins as we prepare for our conference opener this Friday,” said Mountaineer Nikki Izzo-Brown. “Today was a good effort from this squad. Every day, we need to get better. I’m not going to let this team get satisfied, and I know they aren’t right now. We’re sitting in a good spot.”
The Mountaineers have now scored four or more goals in three straight games for the first time since doing so in 2006.
“I think this is a cruel game, and I don’t think we’re creating any more chances then we did against Duke or Georgetown,” Izzo-Brown said of the team’s 12 goals in the last three matches. “I have all the confidence in the players that they’re now going to finish their opportunities. Moving forward, I’m excited about what this team can do when it creates and finishes its chances.”
Junior goalkeeper Hannah Steadman earned the win, making one save in 45 minutes of play for her fourth shutout of the season. Redshirt-freshman Michelle Newhouse made the start in the second half and played all 45 minutes.
The Wildcats’ (25-2) Emma Meyer made four saves in a losing effort.
Seven Mountaineers got in on the scoring action today, paced by two goals from freshman forward Michaela Abam. The Houston native is the third different Mountaineer to score two goals in one game this season. She now shows three goals on the year.
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Abam put WVU ahead for good in the 15th minute. The goal was the result of great awareness by freshman forward Amandine Pierre-Louis. After bringing the ball into the final third, she sent a cross from the goal line to a waiting Abam, who was posted inside the goal box. She then turned with the ball and sent her low shot far left corner.
Senior defender Jess Crowder gave the Mountaineers a two-goal advantage in the 41st minute, sending a long, lofting shot from 25-yards out to the far upper left corner. The score came off a cross from freshman forward Toryn Broadwater. The goal was Crowder’s second of her career and of the season; her first score came off a penalty kick against Elon on Aug. 31.
The Mountaineers wasted little time pushing their lead to 3-0, as junior defender Maggie Bedillion netted her second goal of the year 30 seconds into the second half. Fresh out of the locker room, sophomore Kadeisha Buchanan sent a pass to Bedillion, who took a blast about 20-yards out that went near upper left corner.
Abam bookended her goals with the team’s final score 10 minutes later on a one-time shot from the middle of the box. Junior forward Kailey Utley delivered a perfectly placed ball to Abam, and the hard shot sailed past Meyer near post.
WVU finished the game with a 23-2 shot advantage, and the Mountaineers converted 50 percent of their on-goal attempts. WVU also earned a 4-1 advantage on corner kicks.
Pierre-Louis tallied a game-high four shots, while Abam and Broadwater each finished with three.
VU’s Christina Camassa registered the Wildcats’ two shots, including the team’s only chance, a bending shot in the 24th minute that was pushed out of the frame by Steadman’s fingertips.
Fresh off her two-goal performance Friday evening, junior midfielder Leah Emaus nearly added her third score of the weekend in the 36th minute, but Meyer made a two-handed save on her shot from the middle of the box.
The Mountaineers open the defense of their back-to-back Big 12 Conference regular-season titles next weekend with a swing through Texas. WVU opens conference play at TCU on Friday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. ET. The team then travels to Texas on Sunday, Sept. 28, for a 2 p.m. ET kick. The match against the Longhorns will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.
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