LEXINGTON, Va. – Senior
Sarah Zimmerman scored the game-ending goal in the 99th minute of play to send the No. 9 Washington and Lee women's soccer team back to the ODAC championship game, 3-2, over Bridgewater on Wednesday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Generals (16-2-1) seized control of play in overtime, with Zimmerman finding the top-right corner with just 70 seconds left in the period. Senior Helen Otteni had a shot blocked, which sophomore Megan Zimmerman then picked up and passed over to her sister near the penalty spot for the score.
- The Eagles (15-5) struck first with a Brianna Curro goal in the 36th minute. Lyric Birkley had a long throw which went down near the end line, before Kendall Garza got around it for a cross and found Curro in the box.
- W&L had a quick answer when sophomore Maren Brown gained control of the ball in the box on a failed clear, and shot through traffic for the equalizer less than two minutes later.
- S. Zimmerman tallied her first goal of the game in the 53rd minute to give W&L a 2-1 lead. Senior Bryn Bissinger found Zimmerman's head inside the six on a corner cross for the go-ahead score.
- Bridgewater managed to score once more, however, as Curro passed to Sophia Phillips, who played a quick, short pass behind the defense to Garza, who scored one-on-one with goalie Kate McEnroe.
TOP PERFORMERS:
- S. Zimmerman tallied her 13th and 14th goals of the season, extending her team lead and tie for the ODAC lead. She led all players in the game with 10 shot attempts.
- Brown logged her fifth goal of the season, tied for third most on the team, while Bissinger got her seventh assist of the year and M. Zimmerman was credited with her fifth.
- Curro and Garza led the way for the Eagles with a goal and an assist each. Birkley and Phillips also had one assist apiece.
- Erinn Lockard played all 98:50 for the game and made seven saves, while McEnroe also played the entirety of the game and made one save.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- S. Zimmerman's two goals and four points vaulted her up to fifth place on the program's all-time goals list (39) and points list (99).
- Bissinger's assist matched her single-season career high from the 2023 season. It was the 24th assist of her career, which moved her out of a tie and into sole possession of fourth place on the program's career leaderboard. She would tie Anne Wiltshire '07 for third with one more.
- The Generals are headed back to the ODAC championship for the third consecutive season. That will be the most consecutive appearances in the ODAC title game in program history, and they are looking to repeat as champions for the second time ever (2002-03).
TEAM STATS:
- The Generals ended the game with a 33-7 advantage in total shots. They held a mark of 13-4 by the half and 27-7 at the end of regulation.
- Corner kicks also favored the home side by a final total of 14-0.
UP NEXT:
The Generals will meet Virginia Wesleyan in the ODAC championship game for the third straight season on Saturday. No start time has been announced. W&L claimed the regular-season meeting at The Beach, 4-0, on September 24.
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.
