Career-First Goals Deliver Victory

Thursday, August 30

Morgantown, W.Va.

7:00 p.m.

West Virginia University

1-1-3

Xavier

1-4

Xavier

West Virginia

Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks

August 30, 2018 10:32 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Season Stats Photos

By: Shannon Wolfgang

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A trio of career-first goals pushed the No. 17-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team to its first win of the 2018 season, a 3-0 victory over Xavier in the Mountaineers' home opener tonight at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.

The Mountaineers (1-1-3) more than doubled their season goal output this evening in front of 1,402 fans. The WVU defense showed its muscle, too, denying the Musketeers (1-4) a shot on-goal, a first for the 2018 season.

"We've been grinding, and it's just so nice to see the hard work pay off," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "The girls have been doing this for the last two weeks, but we hit everything but the back of the net. I'm just excited for them; their hard work paid off tonight."

Freshman midfielder Addison Clark gave the Mountaineers their first lead of the season off a header in the 42nd minute. Freshman forward/defender Issy Sibley started the scoring chance, earning a corner kick near the end line. Once the ball was played in, it bounced inside the box before going wide. Freshman forward Lizzie Mayfield immediately sent a cross to the far-right post, and Clark met it head-first, directing her low shot toward the right pocket.

"The game is about momentum, and for Lizzie to put that ball in, and for Addi to finish, was huge for our confidence and momentum going into the locker room," Izzo-Brown said.

The helper was Mayfield's second in three games.

Sibley pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 77th minute. Senior midfielder Grace Cutler's low shot from 16-out was blocked by a Xavier defender. Musketeer goalkeeper Toni Bizzarro hit the ground to further slow the ball but missed, giving Sibley an easy shot over her body for her first career score.

With less than eight minutes remaining in the match, sophomore midfielder Lois Joel notched her first career goal. Junior forward Jade Gentile sent the cross in, and a streaking Joel directed her shot near the goalbox between two defenders toward the far-right post.

Tonight's three-goal output is the Mountaineers' first since defeating Bucknell, 3-0, in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament on Nov. 11, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.

WVU finished with a 29-2 shot advantage and forced Bizzarro into 10 saves, six in the first half. Mountaineer junior Rylee Foster earns credit for the shutout, the team's second straight and the 22nd of her career. She needs one more clean sheet to move into a tie with Hannah Steadman (2014-15) for the fifth-most career shutouts in Mountaineer history.

"I really lean on our leadership in the back, and not allowing one shot on-goal speaks volumes to just how incredible they are and how they're getting tighter together," Izzo-Brown added.

Clark paced the field with five shots, all in the first half. She also tallied a game-high three shots on-goal.

WVU finished with a 9-1 edge in corner kicks.

The Mountaineers challenged Bizzarro early, as senior midfielder Nadya Gill had a low shot just inside the box stopped in the fourth minute, and sophomore forward Lauren Segalla's chip attempt at the left post was caught in the sixth minute.

Sophomore midfielder Grace Smith nearly earned her first career goal in the 29th minute, sending a blast from the top of the box toward the frame, but Bizzarro got her hands on it at the last minute and pushed it away from the line.

Controlling the match in the 61st minute with a 1-0 lead, senior defender Bianca St. Georges sent a curving free kick toward the net. Bizzarro made the catch at her line but immediately dropped it and recovered just before the Mountaineers could pounce.

Just prior to the pair of late goals from Sibley and Joel, Mayfield looked to connect for her first career score in the 76th minute, pushing the ball near the top of the box before sending a high, lofting shot toward the left post that was ultimately caught by Bizzarro.

Tonight was just the second meeting between WVU and Xavier, and the Mountaineers now show a 2-0 series advantage.

The Mountaineers continue their weekend homestand against No. 11 Georgetown on Sunday, Sept. 2, at 3 p.m., at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. It's Dog Day, and a waiver form for all dogs is available at WVUsports.com. The first 100 dogs in attendance will receive a WVU bandana, and the first 250 fans in will receive WVU sunglasses.