UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – West Virginia University women’s soccer seniors Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence won Bronze with the Canadian women’s soccer team today, with a 2-1 win over host Brazil in the third-place game at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, Brazil.

 

“I am so happy and thrilled for Ashley and Kadeisha to win a Bronze medal on one of the sport’s biggest stages,” Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “These two student-athletes have put in so much hard work over the last few years, and they have sacrificed a lot for this achievement. I’m so glad they have a medal to show for their efforts, and all of WVU women’s soccer is proud.”

 

 

The duo is the first from the WVU women’s soccer program to earn an Olympic medal. They are the second and third Mountaineer student-athletes to medal in Rio, joining WVU sophomore Ginny Thrasher, who won Gold for the United States in the women’s 10m air rifle on Aug. 6. The trio are the first Mountaineer student-athletes since James Jett in 1992 to medal at an Olympic Games while still competing for WVU.

 

With today’s Bronze medals, the WVU medal count in Rio now stands at five, as former Mountaineer Nicco Campriani also won two Gold medals in men’s rifle shooting events. The five Mountaineer medalists are the most for WVU at one Olympic Games.

 

Today’s win gives Canada Bronze in back-to-back Olympic Games, and the Canada Women’s Soccer National Team is the first women’s team to earn consecutive medals at a Summer Olympics for Team Canada.

 

Buchanan and Lawrence played all 90 minutes today. Lawrence, an outside back when playing for Canada, assisted on the team’s first goal, sending a cross into Deanne Rose in the 25th minute. Canada’s captain, Christine Sinclair, added an insurance goal in the 52nd minute. Brazil got on the board via a goal by Beatriz with 11 minutes to go, but Canada was able to preserve its lead for the medal.

 

The duo finished with a combined two shots, with Lawrence’s landing on-frame. They helped anchor a backline which permitted only three shots on-goal by Brazil. The home team outshot Canada, 15-7; five of Canada’s shots were on-goal. Canada also earned a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.

 

The No. 5-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team will open its season later today without its Olympic medalists, as the Mountaineers face No. 2-ranked and defending National Champion Penn State at 7:30 p.m. at Jeffrey Field, in University Park, Pennsylvania.