VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Washington and Lee men's soccer team upended 20th-ranked Virginia Wesleyan by a 2-0 score on the road on Saturday behind one goal in both halves.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Junior Taha Kaba scored an early goal to give his side a 1-0 lead. In just the third minute, senior Willy Hall put a corner kick into the box. The ball made its way to Kaba around the six and he managed to find the back of the net.
- W&L's (4-2-4, 2-0-1 ODAC) second goal came in the 80th minute, again on a corner kick. Hall curled the ball in, but it was played back out to him on the right side. Hall stopped the ball to reset, put a cross back into the box and it was met by a leaping Isaac Arrowood, who headed the ball into the low-left corner of the frame.
- The Generals' defense kept the Marlins (7-2-1, 1-1-0 ODAC) at bay in the first half, allowing five shots but none on goal.
- In the second half, W&L senior goalkeeper Will Joseph was tested four times but came up with the stop on each occasion, including late saves in the 83rd and 88th minutes.
TOP PERFORMERS:
- Kaba and Arrowood both scored their second goals of the season to lead the offense, while Hall picked up his team-leading third assist of the season.
- Zach Bittler led the VWU attack with five total shots, followed by three from Ilan Mejia. Bittler managed to put two shots on goal.
- Joseph's four saves proved enough for his fourth shutout of the season.
- Ben Haynes started and played the first half in the Marlins' goal, while Seth Brown covered goalkeeping duties in the second half. Both keepers made one save.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Kaba's goal on Saturday marked the second straight game at Virginia Wesleyan in which he has scored. Kaba scored the game's only goal on September 20, 2023, to propel the Generals to a win.
- Saturday's victory pushed W&L above .500 in the all-time head-to-head against the Marlins. Now riding a five-game win streak and eight-game unbeaten streak against Virginia Wesleyan, W&L holds the series edge now at 27-26-4.
TEAM STATS:
- Virginia Wesleyan held the final advantage in total shots, 15-5. The Marlins outshot the Generals 5-2 in the first half and 10-3 in the second half.
- The Blue and White earned more corner kicks than the hosts, 5-3.
UP NEXT:
The Generals will get back on the pitch on Wednesday when they host fifth-ranked Christopher Newport at 3:00 p.m.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
