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Utley, Defense Deliver Win
September 20, 2015 04:43 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A stingy Florida Gulf Coast defense limited the chances for the No. 4/7 West Virginia University women’s soccer team today, but the Mountaineers made the most of their best opportunity and pushed their shutout streak to eight with a 1-0 win over the Eagles at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Today’s win puts WVU at 9-1 at the conclusion of the squad’s nonconference slate. The Mountaineers’ shutout streak is the longest in the program’s 20-year history. All nine of the squad’s wins have been clean sheets. The Mountaineers enter Big 12 Conference play needing five shutouts to match the program record of 14, set in 2010.
“I thought our two center backs (Kadeisha Buchanan and Easther Mayi Kith) were just incredible today,” said coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “For us to get this shutout was a total team effort, but my hat goes off to Easther and Keisha because they had to do some work. Tabby Tindell is an incredible player, and she gave us some trouble.”
The 2014 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year, Tindell played the full 90 minutes and did not register a shot.
Senior goalkeeper Hannah Steadman made three saves in the win, while FGCU’s Brittany Brown stopped four.
“You have to give Florida Gulf Coast a lot of credit – they came out with a lot of physicality,” said Izzo-Brown. “You could tell they really wanted this game. They challenged us.”
With the teams locked in a scoreless battle in the 48th minute, senior forward Kailey Utley connected on her best chance of the game. After intercepting a poor FGCU clearance, junior midfielder Ashley Lawrence helped jump-start the Mountaineers’ scoring opportunity, as she drove baseline before dishing the ball into the box to a waiting Utley. The St. Louis, Missouri, native promptly beat a FGCU defender with a juke move before converting on a shot near the penalty line to the right corner.
“It takes leadership to finish opportunities, and I’m proud of Utley for finishing today,” said Izzo-Brown. “She keeps doing her job.”
The game winner is Utley’s team-best third of the season. She now shows a career-high six goals.
WVU finished with a 13-9 edge in shots, and the Eagles earned a 2-1 edge in corner kicks. FGCU (4-5-1) is the first team this season to earn more corner-kick opportunities than WVU.
Utley and FGCU’s Ally Kasun each tallied a game-high four shots. No player had more than one shot on-goal.
The first half was relatively uneventful between the teams, as each jockeyed for possession.
WVU got lucky in the 35th minute, as the Eagles almost converted on their second corner of the game, but a header at the far left post from Kasun bounced off the wood and back into play.
The Mountaineers forced Brown into three saves in the first half, with her final save coming off a header from senior forward Kelsie Maloney in the 43rd minute.
WVU flexed its muscles following Utley’s goal, possessing for the majority of the second half. Sophomore forward Amandine Pierre-Louis nearly made it a two-goal lead in the 77th minute, but Brown was there for the save.
The Mountaineers now show a 17-match unbeaten streak at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Today was the first meeting between WVU and FGCU. The Mountaineers went 5-0 against their first-time opponents this season.
The Mountaineers open the defense of their three straight Big 12 Conference titles against Texas on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m., at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. A special ceremony recognizing the program’s 20th season will take place prior to first kick. Mountaineer alums also will be honored at halftime as part of alumni weekend.
All fans will have the opportunity to take their picture with the team’s 2014 Big 12 regular-season and championship trophies prior to kickoff Friday night. Additionally, the first 200 fans through the gate will receive a WVU Big 12 t-shirt, and the first 100 Mountaineer Maniacs will receive gym shorts.
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