LEXINGTON, Va. – Two goals inside the first 10 and a half minutes proved to be enough offense for the No. 2 Washington and Lee women's soccer team, as the Generals improved to 5-0 in ODAC play on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Lynchburg.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Junior Elizabeth Zimmerman gave the Generals (9-0, 5-0 ODAC) a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute, as she fired a tough shot past the keeper. She received a pass from senior Shay Bowman at the top of the box and briefly lost her footing, but regained her balance before shooting.
- Two minutes later, first-year Alex Van Arsdale sent a pass into the box from the right side when the Hornets (9-2, 3-1 ODAC) tried to clear a corner cross. Van Arsdale's feed came into the box where senior Amelia Manke hit a one-timer with her right foot for the score.
- The Hornets got a goal back in the 39th minute when Kate Hillegas made a run into the box on the right side and managed to find room between junior goalie Kate McEnroe and the post.
- Lynchburg controlled the offensive chances in the second half, as they took five shots (three on goal) while holding the Generals without a shot attempt. However, W&L displayed strong possession of the ball over the final 20 minutes of play, as they held Lynchburg without a shot over the final 22:15 to close out the win.
TOP PERFORMERS:
- Zimmerman's fifth goal of the season and Manke's first highlighted the Generals' offensive efforts. Bowman, Van Arsdale and junior Megan Zimmerman each had an assist.
- Hillegas came off the bench to score the Lynchburg goal. She and Ava Olson led their side with two shots each.
- McEnroe made three saves to collect the win in the W&L goal, while Julia Salo stopped two shots for the Hornets.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- W&L extended its ODAC winning streak to 27 straight games and its overall unbeaten streak to 26 games (24-0-2). The result also stretched the program's undefeated streak in home games to 39 consecutive games (33-0-6).
- The Generals have now won four straight games against the Hornets, with each game decided by exactly one goal.
TEAM STATS:
- The Hornets ended the game with an 8-5 edge in total shot attempts. Both teams put four shots on goal.
- W&L held a strong lead in corner kicks for the day. After both teams had three in the first half, the Generals earned seven in the second half and only conceded one.
UP NEXT:
The Generals will step out of conference play for the next two games, their final two non-conference games of the regular season, starting with Mary Washington on Tuesday at home at 7:00 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.
