LEXINGTON, Va. – The No. 18 and second-seeded Washington and Lee women's soccer team suffered its first defeat of the season by a 2-1 count to third-seeded Virginia Wesleyan in the ODAC Semifinals on Friday afternoon.
After over 65 minutes of scoreless play, the Marlins (15-2-2) dented the scoreboard following a corner kick. Alexis Miller lined up for the corner and sent a cross to the back post, where W&L (14-1-5) junior keeper
Sydney Smith (Damascus, Md. / Damascus) got a hand to the ball for a punch. The ball then ricocheted off the back post and out, where Shyenne Diaz met the loose ball and fired a shot into the back of the net.
In the 80th minute, and on the team's second corner kick of the day, Miller was able to curl her cross into the goal to double the Virginia Wesleyan lead.
The Generals responded quickly, needing just 90 seconds to pull the game back to a one-goal difference. After a VWU yellow card gave W&L a free kick on the left side, first-year
Bryn Bissinger (Greenville, S.C. / St. Joseph's Catholic) lofted a cross into the middle of the box. The ball was then headed on by senior midfielder
Grace Wielechowski (Charlotte, N.C. / Charlotte Catholic), followed by a one-timed shot and score by senior
Brenna Wehner (Crosswicks, N.J. / The Hun School of Princeton) from the back post.
Wehner found herself on the end of another near-scoring chance in the 56th minute. Following a foul to give the Generals a free kick, Wehner sent a long ball into the box that ended up on frame. The ball bounced off the crossbar and straight down before heading back up-field, but did not cross the line.
W&L's loss is just the first of the season, ending the second-longest single-season and overall unbeaten streak in program history at 19 games. The 19 games without a loss entering the game finishes as the new program record for longest unbeaten start to a season.
Wehner ended the game with a team-high three shots and one on goal. Her score in the 81st minute was her third of the season, while Wielechowski and Bissinger picked up their eighth and fourth assists of the campaign, respectively. Smith (14-1-5) played all 90 minutes in goal for the Blue and White, and she made three saves.
Diaz and Miller spearheaded the Marlins' offensive efforts, with four shots from Diaz and two attempts by Miller. Both players also sent two shots on goal. Rachel Quigley (15-2-2) earned the win by making four saves in 90 minutes of action.
W&L owned a 7-2 shot advantage at the half, before both teams attempted seven times in the second half to give the Blue and White a 14-9 final shot margin. Corner kicks finished in favor of the Generals, 4-3, with all of W&L's in the first half and each of VWU's in the second half.
With the loss, the Generals now need an at-large bid to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Division III Women's Soccer Selection Show airs on NCAA.com on Monday at 2:00 pm.
