RICHMOND, Va. – A record-setting goal just 47 seconds into the match set the tone for the No. 4-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team's nonconference finale, as the Mountaineers tallied four goals for the first time this season en route to a 4-1 victory over Richmond at Robin's Field.

 

Junior forward Heather Kaleiohi set the pace with the night's first score, the fastest goal in the Mountaineers' 21-year history. WVU (8-1-1) never looked back, rolling out to a two-goal lead by halftime and finishing with its best offensive showing of the season.

 

Four different Mountaineers tallied goals this evening, including first scores of the season for junior midfielder Carla Portillo and freshman midfielder Jade Gentile. Additionally, sophomore forward Hannah Abraham netted the game-winner in the 42nd minute.

 

“We obviously responded to my challenge and put four goals in the back of the net,” Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “Richmond is a very good team, and I was very happy to see us come out and finish our chances.

 

“Collectively, the team really wanted to come out and put the ball in the back of the net in the first 10 minutes – it's something we haven't been able to do this season. I was really proud of their focus and the way they were able to put the ball away so early.”

 

The Mountaineer defense looked stout and nearly earned its fifth shutout of the season were it not for an odd whistle in the 56th minute. Looking to cut WVU's lead in half, Spider forward Lexi Prillaman charged the net. Mountaineer freshman Rylee Foster left her line to challenge and halted the attack with the help of senior defender Kadeisha Buchanan. A foul was called, though, and UR was awarded a penalty kick, which forward Meaghan Carrigan converted to put the score at 2-1.

 

Portillo's goal, an absolute blast from 25-yards out, less than one minute later restored the Mountaineers' two-goal lead for good. Senior midfielder Ashley Lawrence earned the assist.

 

“I definitely think Richmond was pushing our lead at that point, and they were gaining momentum,” Izzo-Brown added. “Carla's goal was huge in that it pushed us back to that two-goal cushion.”

 

WVU finished with a 23-11 edge in shots and forced Carlie Blessing into seven saves, including five in the first half. Foster tallied six saves, three in each half, for her fifth win of the season.

 

The Mountaineers also finished with a 9-2 edge in corner kicks.

 

Kaleiohi got the Mountaineers on the board in record-setting fashion. Sophomore defender Bianca St. George played the perfect ball into Kaleiohi, who turned, took one touch then sent her shot from inside the 18 toward the far left post for her fourth goal of the season.

 

Prior to tonight's quick goal, the Mountaineer record stood at 0:55, set by All-American Kate Schwindel in a 3-1 win at Georgetown on Sept. 30, 2011.

 

Kaleiohi's goal was her fourth of the season, the second-best team total. The assist was St. Georges' first point of the year.

 

The Mountaineers padded their lead in the 42nd minute off a great service from senior Ashley Woolpert. The midfielder found a streaking Abraham, and she took her shot in-stride and placed it toward the far right post, away from Blessing's outstretched hands. The goal and assist were the second of the season for Abraham and Woolpert, respectively.

 

Following the goal exchange in the 56th minute, and with WVU's lead restored to two, Foster was challenged mightily off a Spider corner kick in the 58th minute. The set piece resulted in three UR shots, the first a close-range chance by Lindsay Egbers that hit the crossbar and bounced back into play. Alexis Pringle pounced on it, but her shot was blocked. The threat ended when Foster saved a shot from within six yards by Olivia Aha.

 

Foster again was called into action in the 64th minute, but she stood her ground after taking a shot by Lindsey Williams to the face. The rebound bounced back to Williams, but her second shot went wide of the left post.

 

Gentile iced the game with her first career goal in the 85th minute. Sophomore forward Grace Cutler got tangled up with a Spider defender inside the box, distracting Blessing and allowing a cross from senior defender Carly Black to sneak inside the box. Gentile pounced and finished the ball toward the far right post.

 

WVU nearly doubled its lead just four minutes into the match, as the squad's first corner kick led to a shot from Lawrence, but Blessing was able to push it up and away for another corner kick chance.

 

Nine minutes later and Lawrence looked to set Kaleiohi up for her second score of the match, sending a through ball toward the charging San Diego native. Kaleiohi sent a low shot toward the net, but Blessing dove to halt the attempt.

 

The Mountaineers denied the Spiders (5-3-1) a shot through the first 17 minutes of the match. Prillaman earned the home team's first chance, charging the net in front of the benches before taking a long shot, but Foster was there for her first of three first-half saves.

 

Still owning a one-goal lead, sophomore forward Sh'Nia Gordon looked to get on the scoring sheet in the 37th minute, as she took a turning shot inside box, but it cruelly bounced off the right post and out of play.

 

Just one minute later, Prillaman took a blistering shot from out wide that looked to even the score at 1-1. Foster smartly dove toward the right post and pushed the ball away for the Spiders' only corner kick of the half.

 

Lawrence and Gordon finished with a game-high five shots each.

 

Of note, Lawrence's assist on Portillo's goal was her 21st career helper, moving her into a tie at No. 9 with Kim Bonilla on the Mountaineers' all-time career assist list.

 

With the win, WVU improved to 3-1-1 all-time against Richmond.

 

The Mountaineers open the defense of their four straight Big 12 Conference titles next weekend in Morgantown at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. WVU first meets Baylor on Friday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m., before facing Oklahoma on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m. Sunday's match will be broadcast on ESPNU.

 

To celebrate the conference opener Friday night, 50 Big 12 t-shirts will be given out throughout the match. Fans also will have the opportunity to take a picture with the 2015 Big 12 Conference trophy, which will be on display in the stadium concourse prior to kickoff.

 

Sunday is the Mountaineers' annual Pink Match, and all fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness. It also is Dollar Day, and all tickets will be available for $1 each.