GRANTHAM, Pa. – Five goals from five different players propelled the Washington and Lee women's soccer team to decisive 5-0 victory over Stevens in the 2023 season opener on Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Generals (1-0) wasted little time in denting the scoreboard for the first time this season, needing less than 11 minutes to claim their lead. Senior
Cameron Grainger stood over a corner kick opportunity and sent a high arching cross to the back post. With players crashing in from the top of the box, sophomore
Sarah Zimmerman rose and headed the ball into the back of the net for the game's first score.
The game held at a 1-0 W&L advantage for the next 27 minutes ahead of two more W&L goals to close the half. First-year
Stephanie Zawtocki got in behind the Stevens defense and finished a tap-in opportunity from inside the six in the 38th minute, before sophomore
Sydney Devory scored from outside the 18, on a one-time effort following a clear attempt from the keeper.
W&L's final two goals came in an eight-minute span in the second half. The team's fourth goal was scored in the 60th minute. The ball was crossed in from the right side to the far post by sophomore
Helen Otteni, where junior
Sam Berish was waiting for the finish. First-year
Shay Bowman then put the finishing touches on the scoring with a long, lofted attempt from the left side that looped over the keeper in the 68th minute.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Zimmerman tied for the game high with three shots and two attempts on goal, in scoring her fifth career goal. Grainger and Otteni tallied their eighth and sixth career assists, respectively, while Berish and Devory scored their respective fourth and third career goals.
Senior
Sydney Smith (1-0) made five saves in goal to post the 10th clean sheet of her career. For the Ducks, Dana Perry and Kenny Donley split halves in goal. Perry made two saves and allowed two goals, while Donley surrendered three scores and made five saves.
NOTES OF IMPORTANCE:
Smith became the eighth goalkeeper in program history to reach double digit shutouts with her efforts against the Ducks. She can tie Emily Barker '05 for the seventh-most clean sheets in program history with six more.
Zawtocki and Bowman are the first first-year players to score in their W&L women's soccer debuts since Grainger did so in a 7-0 win at Guilford on February 21, 2021. Additionally, Friday's contest marked the first season opener that featured multiple first-year players recording a goal since 2011 (9/1), when four rookies found the back of the net in a 7-0 win against N.C. Wesleyan (Rossi, Beasley, Rush, Scott).
TEAM STATS:
W&L finished the game with 16 total shots and 12 attempts on goal, compared to 12 attempts and five on goal from the Ducks. Stevens outgained the Blue and White in corner kicks by a final margin of 7-5, after a 6-0 mark in the second half.
UP NEXT:
The Generals look to carry Friday's momentum into their Saturday contest at Messiah, a 5:00 p.m. opening kick-off against Puget Sound.
