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Big South Weekly Report (PDF) | 2012 Big South Women's Soccer Championship Bracket (PDF)

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University has advanced to the semifinals of the 2012 Big South Conference Women's Soccer Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting this weekend, November 2-4, hosted by Winthrop University at Eagle Field in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  The No. 3 Lancers battled to a 1-1 double-overtime tie against No. 6 Liberty University in a quarterfinal match on Oct. 27 at the Athletics Complex in Farmville, advancing in the penalty-kick shootout 3-0.  Longwood (13-5-2) will play No. 2 seed Radford University (12-2-4) in a semifinal contest on Friday night, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m.  The tournament championship is on Sunday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m.

Recapping Liberty | Big South Quarterfinal
Longwood and Liberty were scoreless through the opening 45 minutes with each team registering one shot on goal.  The Lancers got on the scoreboard in the second half at 56:26 when senior Lindsey Ottavio|Fairfax (W.T. Woodson) was successful on a hard shot from about 25 yards to the upper right corner of the net.  The Flames avoided another goal nearly 20 minutes later with back-to-back saves at 64:30 and 64:34, the latter a team save after consecutive shots from freshmen Olivia Colella|Herndon (Chantilly) and Haylea Witz|Chesapeake (Grassfield). The visitors managed to tie it with a late goal on a deflected a ball played across the box at 84:29, and regulation ended soon thereafter.  Longwood managed three shots in the first overtime, but none were on target, as the two teams went to a second OT.  The Lancers had three more attempts in the second OT, the first two by Colella (102:32) and sophomore Kelsey McDonald|Kennett Square, Pa. (Unionville) (103:29), respectively, were on goal and stopped to force a shootout after 110 minutes.  Longwood went first, and the attempt was saved.  Junior reserve keeper Shelby Hall|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) re-entered for the shootout after watching the second half and extra periods and promptly stopped the first attempt by Liberty.  Sophomore Samantha Phillips|Chesapeake (Grassfield) was successful on the second attempt for the Lancers.  Hall once again made the save on the second attempt by the Flames.  Junior Kelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) was successful on the third attempt for Longwood.  Liberty's third attempt hit the crossbar and bounced back unsuccessful.  The Lancers secured the outcome on the fourth attempt, a successful shot by senior Nikki Glisson|Mechanicsville (Hanover) for the 3-0 advantage in the shootout.  Longwood had an 18-7 advantage in shots, including 8-3 in attempts on goal, and it was a 7-4 edge on corner kicks.  Ottavio had four shots, one on goal for her third goal this season, while freshman Alana Mackey|Leesburg (Loudoun County) had three shots, one on goal.  Senior keeper Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) played 66:23 in front of the net for the Lancers with one save and one goal allowed.  Hall played 43:37 in front of the net for the hosts with one save and no goals allowed.  She had replaced an injured Byron just 1:23 into the contest and played the remainder of the first half before Byron went back in and played the second half and two overtimes.

Quoting Head Coach Todd Dyer
“Well, we certainly made it exciting for our fans and we couldn't have done it without them, so I'm glad they got their money's worth.  Otto's goal was a bomb and really gave us a lift.  After that, we couldn't quite capitalize on our chances to finish off the game and Liberty kept coming at us as they always do.  Then it was down to PKs and Shelby was amazing.  What a great day for Lancer Nation.”

The Big South Women's Soccer Championships
The 2012 Big South Women's Soccer Championship semifinals and final will be played at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina on Nov. 2-4.  The semifinals will air on the Big South Network, with the final airing on ESPN3.  The Big South Tournament Champion receives an automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.  No. 1 High Point University (10-5-6) will play host and No. 4 Winthrop (11-6-2) on Nov. 2 at 4:30 p.m., before the Longwood-Radford semifinal at 7 p.m. The tournament championship is on Sunday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m.  Longwood and Radford played to a 0-0 double-overtime tie on Oct. 18 in Radford.  The Lancers lead the all-time series against the Highlanders, 5-3-1.  Longwood fell on the road at High Point 2-0 on Oct. 13 in North Carolina.  The Panthers lead the all-time series against the Lancers, 6-1-2. Longwood defeated Winthrop 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 4 in Farmville.  The Lancers lead the all-time series against the Eagles, 1-0.

Quoting Head Coach Todd Dyer
“We don't want to simply say we're happy to be here, however, we ARE very happy to be here.  We weren't really sure what to expect in our first year in the league.  Now, having played our way into the tournament semifinals after a strong regular season, we're eager to see how far we can go.  Obviously, Radford, the defending tournament champion, poses a huge challenge for us, but we embrace that opportunity.  To be the best, you have to beat the best, and right now Radford is holding that trophy.  It's only fitting that our weekend starts against them because we have such respect for their program and accomplishments.  We'll do everything within our power to continue representing Longwood University and our campus community in the best possible way.”

Leading The Lancers | Season Statistics
Kelsey Pardue leads Longwood in scoring through 20 matches with seven goals and six assists totaling 20 points. Lindsey Ottavio has three goals and five assists for 11 points.  Kelsey McDonald has three goals and three assists for nine points. Sophomore Kylie Dyer|Farmville (Prince Edward County) and Olivia Colella each have three goals and one assist for seven points.  Samantha Phillips and Haylea Witz each have two goals for four points.  Nikki Glisson has one goal and one assist for three points. Freshman Bridget Bergquist|Bristow (Brentsville) and Alana Mackey each add one goal for two points.  Sophomore Taylor Cave|Virginia Beach (Kellam) and freshman Meghan Magee|Virginia Beach (Bayside) each have one assist totaling one point.  Kyra Byron has played 1678 minutes in front of the net, while allowing only 15 goals (0.80) with 71 saves (.826) and 8.66 shutouts.  Shelby Hall has played 169 minutes in front of the net, while allowing three goals (1.60) with 10 saves (.769) and 0.66 shutouts.  Redshirt-sophomore Dana Wallace|Charlottesville (Home Schooled) has played 12 minutes in front of the net with 0.33 shutouts.

A Special Group Of Seniors
Longwood recognized its five seniors on the roster during a pre-game ceremony prior to the match against VMI on Oct. 20.  Those Lancers who have made their final home appearances include seniors Kyra Byron, Nikki Glisson, Natalie Massey|Virginia Beach (Landstown), Lindsey Ottavio and Chelsea Walter|South Riding (Freedom). During the last four years that members of this class have been a part of the program, Longwood has attained a winning record of 40-28-7 (.580).
   
Quoting Head Coach Todd Dyer
“This class is going out as one of the most talented and accomplished groups in the history of our women's soccer program at the Division I level.  However, their greatest contribution to Longwood is the standard they set and lived by with regard to their character and commitment on the soccer field, in the classroom and within the community.  It is only fitting that this special group of young women had the honor of representing Longwood in our first-ever season of Big South Conference play this fall.  They have taken full advantage of this opportunity, yet their best work still lies ahead after graduation.  With that in mind, we extend a very heartfelt 'thank you' for all of their hard work and we wish them well as they move forward.”

Natalie Massey | College Soccer 360.com Primetime Performer

In The Record Book
Kyra Byron ranks second in career goals against average (38-0.81), is tied for third in shutouts (15), and fifth in minutes (4241), saves (174) and wins (23).  Lindsey Ottavio is third in career goals (25) and points (62).  Kelsey Pardue is fourth in career assists (19) and seventh in points (51).

NCAA Division I RPI
Longwood is ranked 123rd among 323 schools in the Division I Women's Soccer RPI, as of Oct. 29.  The Lancers are the third-highest rated school from the Big South Conference, behind only Radford (117) and High Point (122).  Other league members among the top-200 include Campbell (165), Winthrop (166) and Liberty (174).

NCAA/Big South Statistics
Longwood ranked 28th in Division I shutout percentage (.500), 49th in winning percentage (.700), 61st in goals against average (0.87) and 75th in save percentage (.818) through Oct. 28.  Kelsey Pardue ranked 10th in game-winning goals (5), 111th in assists (6) and 127th in points (20). Kyra Byron ranked 52nd in goals against average (0.81), and 73rd in save percentage (.826) and minutes (1678).  Through the 11-game Big South regular season, the Lancers ranked second in goals allowed (6), goals against average (0.53) and shutouts (7).  Kelsey Pardue ranked first in game-winning goals (4), tied for fourth in goals (6) and points (17), and tied for sixth in assists (5).  Kyra Byron ranked second in shutouts (5), third in goals against average (0.56) and save percentage (.867), and eighth in saves (39).  Olivia Colella ranked in a tie for third in game-winning goals (2). Lindsey Ottavio ranked in a tie for ninth in assists (4).

Oh No, Not Again …
Longwood has played five overtime contests this season, winning three and tying two while playing an extra 59 minutes. The Lancers defeated Richmond 2-1 in double-overtime at home on August 24, Presbyterian 2-1 in overtime at home on September 22 and Winthrop 2-1 in overtime at home on Oct. 4. Longwood tied at Radford 0-0 in double-overtime on Oct. 18, and most-recently tied Liberty 1-1 in double-overtime at home on Oct. 27.  The Lancers played a program-record eight overtime contests last year totaling an additional 131 minutes.

Youth Being Served
Longwood has 19 true sophomores (9) and freshmen (10) among its 28-member roster, and 18 of them have seen action this season.  Ten freshmen and/or sophomores have made starts through 20 matches, including three who have started every match (Kelsey McDonald, Alana Mackey and Meghan Magee) and one who has started 19 matches (Taylor Cave).

It Must Be The Name
Longwood has four team members with the same first name: Kelsey.  They include Kelsey Pardue, Kelsey McDonald along with sophomores Kelsey Lucas|Federicksburg (Fredericksburg Christian) and Kelsey Trace|Gainesville (Battlefield).  A similar-sounding name on the Lancers' roster adds to the uniqueness: Chelsea Walter.  Additionally, Kelsey Lucas has a twin sister, and since Kelsey was already taken, her name is Carley Lucas|Fredericksburg (Fredericksburg Christian).

Or Maybe It's The Club
Longwood has five freshmen team members who played for the same club team: FCV Cardinals in northern Virginia. They include Katie Beebe|Round Hill (Woodgrove), Bridget Bergquist, Madison Flanagan|Leesburg (Heritage), Hailey Machen|Fairfax (Fairfax) and Alana Mackey.

No Place Like Home
Longwood is 48-15-3 (.750) on its home turf at the Athletics Complex since beginning competition at the facility in 2006.  The Lancers, 8-1-1 at home this season, are 41-14-2 (.737) in Farmville since attaining its NCAA Division I certification and eligibility for 2007.

2012 Captains
Lindsey Ottavio is serving as a team captain for the second consecutive season, while Natalie Massey is in the team leadership role for the first time.

Big South Conference/Attacking Player Of The Week
Kelsey McDonald was named the Big South Conference Attacking Player Of The Week Oct. 9 for her efforts during two conference wins against Winthrop on Oct. 4 and Gardner-Webb on Oct. 6.  She is Longwood's fourth Big South Player of the Week (see below). McDonald scored two goals, including one game-winner, and added one assist to lead Longwood to a pair of Big South home wins.  The Lancers defeated the Eagles 2-1 in overtime as she scored the first goal in the 22nd minute, finishing a well-played through ball on the left side to help the team to a 1-0 advantage at the intermission, and provided the assist on the game-winning goal in the 94th minute when she delivered a nice ball into the box from the left side once again.  McDonald capped her outstanding week with the first and game-winning goal in the 26th minute of a 2-0 win against the Bulldogs, collecting a loose ball in the box and finishing with a hard shot into the back of the net.

Big South Conference/Attacking Player Of The Week
Kelsey Pardue was named the Big South Conference Attacking Player Of The Week Sept. 25 for her efforts during the 4-0 home win against UNC Asheville on Sept. 20 and the 2-1 overtime home win against Presbyterian on Sept. 22. She is Longwood's third Big South Player of the Week (see below).  Pardue scored three goals -- two game-winners -- and added two assists to lead Longwood to a pair of Big South wins.  She was involved in all four scores against UNC Asheville, scoring the first and game-winning goal in the fourth minute with a hard shot into the net after a feed into the box. Pardue returned the favor when she fed the ball in from the left side on the game's second goal in the 12th minute, and added another assist as she played a through-ball in for a successful shot in the 19th minute.  She completed the scoring outburst when she got free down the middle of the field and beat the keeper one-on-one in the 21st minute.  Pardue capped her outstanding week with the game-winning goal in OT against Presbyterian.  She tallied the game-winner in the 105th minute when she dribbled up the middle through traffic and shot successfully to the right upper 90.  Pardue was also named the College Sports Madness Big South Player of the Week.

Big South Conference Defensive Player Of The Week
Kyra Byron was named the Big South Conference Defensive Player Of The Week Sept. 11 for her effort during a 1-0 shutout road victory at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County on Sept. 9.  She is Longwood's second Big South Player of the Week.  Byron posted six saves for the Lancers against the Retrievers with five of her saves in the second half, including four after Longwood had taken a one-goal advantage.

Big South Conference/Attacking Player Of The Week
Lindsey Ottavio was named the Conference Attacking Player Of The Week August 28 for her effort during the 2-1 double-overtime home win past Richmond on August 24.  She is Longwood's first Big South Player of the Week since the school joined the conference on July 1.  Ottavio scored two unassisted goals, including the game-winner just 50-seconds into the second extra period to lead the Lancers (3-1) past the Spiders.  She scored her first goal in the 65th minute, taking the ball through the middle of the box while beating both a defender and the keeper with a shot to the left side of the net at 64:35.  Ottavio finally ended the well-played match at 100:50 when she took a loose ball in the box and once again beat the keeper with a hard shot to the left side for the sudden victory.  She was also named the College Sports Madness Big South Player of the Week.

Big South Network
Longwood produced its first-ever Big South Network live video-streamed broadcast against UNC Asheville on Sept. 20.  The Big South Network is the official video provider for all Big South Conference games.  Each member institution is required to produce broadcasts for home events to be streamed via the conference network. The Lancers have streamed four women's soccer matches this fall, including the matches against visiting UNC Asheville (Sept. 20), Winthrop (Oct. 4), VMI (Oct. 20), and the Big South Conference Women's Soccer Championship Quarterfinal against Liberty (Oct. 27). The Big South Network has an archive of on-demand videos that can be viewed for free.  A paid subscription is required to view live events, with both single-game and season passes available.  You can view the Longwood Lancers TV page to watch all of the Lancers' webcasts and see a schedule of upcoming events.

Coaching Milestone: 200 Career Wins
Todd Dyer '93, enjoying his 19th year as the founder and head coach of the Longwood women's soccer program, now has an overall record of 206-124-22, including 15 winning seasons. A former standout midfielder at Longwood, he served as a team captain for two years and scored 15 goals during his four years, earning All-Virginia Intercollegiate Soccer Association (VISA) honors as a senior.  A native of Manassas, Dyer earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Longwood in 1993.  He also coached the Longwood men's soccer program for seven years (1996-2002), compiling a record of 75-53-7.

Quoting Head Coach Todd Dyer
“200 is a nice milestone and what it really reflects is that I've been fortunate to do what I love, at a place I love, for a long, long time. I'm blessed to have had the privilege of working with so many great people these past 19 years.  Our program's future is very bright due to all of their hard work.”

The Coaching Staff
Head coach Todd Dyer is assisted by associate head coach Steve Brdarski, in his ninth season at Longwood.

Up Next Week
As mentioned, the Big South Tournament Champion receives an automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.  The Division I Women's Soccer Committee will announce the field of 64 teams during a selection show on Monday, Nov. 5, which will be streamed on NCAA.com at 4:30 p.m.  The field of 64 consists of 30 automatic qualifying teams along with 34 teams receiving at-large bids.  The first round of the Division I Women's Soccer Championship will take place at 32 different sites across the country Nov. 9-11.