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Mountaineers Fall in Spring Finale
April 23, 2016 06:18 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women’s soccer team closed its spring season with a 2-0 loss to Ohio State this afternoon at Dreamswork Field.
Playing with a thin lineup, the Mountaineers gave up one goal each half.
“Overall, it was a great day to come out and try to get better,” WVU assistant coach Marisa Kanela said. “We moved some of our athletes around the field today because we are trying to see what may work for the 2016 season. Fortunately, we were able to find a lot of minutes for all our players this spring, and that will help in their development for the regular season. There definitely were some good moments.
“Ultimately, we’re happy with the success of the team this spring. We had some ups and downs, but you’re always going to encounter those moments, and it’s important to push through them. We have a tough schedule next fall, and tough games like today’s will help make us better."
Sophomore Michelle Newhouse played all 90 minutes in net and made one save. The Mountaineers finished with three shots-on goal. The Buckeyes earned a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.
The Mountaineers earned the first quality chance of the game in the 22nd minute, as freshman forward Nia Gordon earned a breakaway look after receiving the ball from sophomore forward Amandine Pierre-Louis and took a shot just right of the box, but the ball was saved at the post.
The Buckeyes responded with a goal six minutes later, converting on their first free kick of the match. Kicked in from nearly 30 yards out, OSU’s Morgan Wolcott took a quick shot near the penalty-kick line that went to the near right corner.
WVU nearly earned the equalizer just two minutes into the second half, as freshman defender Bianca St. Georges found the ball near the top of the box following the team’s first corner kick of the game, but her hard shot was saved at the right post by OSU’s goalkeeper.
Newhouse denied the Buckeyes a goal in the 50th minute, punching a diving shot by Sammy Edwards up and over the crossbar.
Pierre-Louis earned her own chance in the 53rd minute, but her low shot was met at the left post for a save.
One minute later, St. Georges made a great slide inside the box to force an OSU misdirected shot. The Mountaineers were not as fortunate in the 56th minute, as Lindsay Agnew slipped behind the WVU defense and took an uncontested shot from 12-yards out that beat Newhouse to the far left post.
The Mountaineers’ best chance came with nine minutes remaining. Sophomore forward Michaela Abam’s deep cross nearly snuck under the crossbar, but instead bounced out of play.
The Mountaineers and the Buckeyes will next meet in September, as OSU will again travel to Morgantown for a 6 p.m. contest on Sept. 4 at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
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