×

Second-half surge

PHILIPPI – West Virginia Wesleyan visited Alderson Broaddus University on Wednesday night and came away with a 2-0 intraconference victory.

Both schools were long-standing WVIAC foes but AB joined the Great Midwest Athletic Conference this year and WVWC is now a member of the newly-formed Mountain East conference.

The Battlers controlled the initial part of the first half with six shots on goal within the first 21:00 of the match, including two straight by Britney Wildish.

During that time, the Bobcats had only one shot on goal. AB’s goalie Sarah Turner made a bad throw-in and Wesleyan’s Morgan Miles had a crack at the net but the ball was saved by Turner.

After the 24th minute, though, the tide began to turn with Wesleyan forcing the action. The Bobcats took five shots on goal from that juncture until halftime with two coming off of corner kicks.

The match remained scoreless at the half with six shots at goal for both teams, and Wesleyan holding a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks.

Momentum stayed on the visitors’ side in the second half, as AB had trouble keeping play out of its side of the field. But the hosts denied any shots on goal until the 63th minute.

At the 69th minute, WVWC’s Jade Smith was awarded a free kick after a pushing foul and a few seconds later, Laura Hill headed the ball from the right side into the left corner of the goal for the first score of the evening.

Wesleyan continued to apply pressure with Kristi Dalton firing two shots toward the goal during the next five minutes.

Hill worked her way for an open shot right down the center from 15 feet out in the 79th minute and it appeared that AB’s Turner had made the stop. But as she was falling, she lost control and the ball rolled into the goal for Hill’s second point of the night.

In addition to the two goals, Wesleyan held a 14-1 advantage for shots on goal and a 4-1 lead in corner kicks.

Wildish with her two shots on goal and Brittany Minor with three paced the Battlers.

Dalton, Smith, Tianna Bernardo, Hill and Hanna Gurtis all had multiple shots for Wesleyan.

AB (0-3) will travel to Lincoln University (Pa.) at 4 p.m. Sunday, while Wesleyan, (1-1) will venture to Concord at noon on the same day in its Mountain East Conference opener against the Mountain Lions.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $3.92/week.

Subscribe Today