September 10, 2010

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took a 4-0 women's soccer shutout victory past visiting Mount St. Mary's University from the Northeast Conference Friday night at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. The Lancers (4-3) scored two goals in each half against the Mountaineers (2-3-1), led by sophomore Lindsey Ottavio|Fairfax (W.T. Woodson) with both goals in the opening period. Longwood will play again on Sunday, September 12, on the road at Appalachian State University of the Southern Conference in Boone, North Carolina beginning at 12 p.m.

Longwood scored just 1:01 into the match when Ottavio took a nice pass in the box from senior Jessica Varela|Midlothian (Clover Hill) and shot successfully into the lower right corner for the early advantage. The Lancers added another goal in the ninth minute when the same two players executed almost the exact same play, this time as Ottavio took the cross from Varela and shot to the upper right corner for a two-goal advantage. Ottavio now leads LU with seven goals, while Varela leads the team in assists with four. It remained 2-0 at the intermission as Mount St. Mary's went a player down in the 41st minute after a red card at 40:55 for a flagrant elbow.

Longwood scored early in the second half as well when junior Dylan Spicker|Sherman Oaks, Calif. (Hickory-Va.) received a pass from freshman Kelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) in the box and one-touched the ball into the back of the net at 46:29. The Lancers added their final goal in the 71st minute as senior Kayla Huggins|North Haven, Conn. (North Haven) got free in the box and beat the keeper for an open net and promptly placed the ball at 70:03. It was the first goal of the season for both Spicker and Huggins, while Pardue contributed her second assist.

“We had a lot of respect for Mount St. Mary's going into the game with some of the results they had this season,” said head coach Todd Dyer '93. “The first goal of the game obviously opened things up and gave us some confidence, and our ball possession got better as we created a lot of chances. We're happy to score goals like that and the shutout feels good too. We look forward to trying to duplicate those type things on Sunday at Appalachian State.”

Longwood took an 18-8 advantage in shots, including 11-6 in attempts on-goal, though there were no corner kicks for either team. Graduate keeper Marcia Biddle|Woodbridge (Gar-Field) played the first 64:18 in front of the net for the Lancers, making three saves. Sophomore keeper Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) played the final 25:42 for LU, also making three saves as the two combined for the shutout. Alicia Miller played the first 61:17 in front of the net for Mount St. Mary's with three saves and allowed three goals, while Amanda Kitzmiller played the final 28:43 for the Mountaineers, making four saves and allowed one goal.

It was only the third meeting ever between the two schools in the sport of women's soccer as Longwood now leads the young series at 3-0.