September 17, 2010

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took a 6-0 women's soccer shutout victory past visiting Elon University of the Southern Conference Friday night at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. Sophomore Lindsey Ottavio|Fairfax (W.T. Woodson) posted her first career hat-trick for the Lancers (5-4) with three goals during the first 34 minutes against the Phoenix (5-2) who had their five-game winning streak stopped by the hosts. The contest was played before a supportive crowd of 425 to kick-off the University's Wounded Warrior Weekend of events. Longwood will return to action on Sunday afternoon, September 19, on the road at Big South Conference member and in-state opponent Radford University in Radford beginning at 1 p.m.

Longwood scored early and often against Elon as Ottavio tallied her first goal in the fourth minute when she took a nice through pass from freshman Kelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) down the left side of the field and shot successfully into the lower right corner at 3:27. Ottavio scored again at 19:50 when she did it alone while beating several defenders and the keeper with a shot to the upper right and a 2-0 advantage. Ottavio and Pardue connected again in the 34th minute as Ottavio took a nice pass in the box and shot to the lower right at 33:41 and the Lancers led 3-0 at the intermission.

Longwood continued with its momentum early in the second period as junior Mackenzie King|Stafford (North Stafford) received a pass in the box from sophomore Nikki Glisson|Mechanicsville (Hanover) and scored with a shot over the keeper's head at 52:20. Senior Jessica Varela|Midlothian (Clover Hill) tallied a goal in the 56th minute when she was assisted by Pardue on a shot from the right wing into the upper left of the net at 55:21. Sophomore Lindsey Booth|Mechanicsville (Atlee) finished the scoring at 65:18 when she took a pass in the box from redshirt-sophomore Soraya Serra|Round Hill (Loudoun Valley) and shot successfully into the lower left corner.

“A result like that against a program of that quality is simply unexplainable,” said 17th-year head coach Todd Dyer '93. “The early goal helped us a lot as far as our confidence. We're very pleased with the result on such a significant night with the Wounded Warrior Weekend, and we'll enjoy it and hope to put on a good performance at Radford.”

It was the most goals scored by Longwood since a 7-2 win past Howard University on October 13, 2006. Ottavio now has a team-best 10 goals this season, and had entered the contest ranked fifth in Division I goals scored. Pardue leads the team with five assists, Varela scored her first goal of the year, while King and Booth each tallied their first career goals.

Longwood took a 12-11 advantage in shots, including 8-4 in attempts on-goal, while Elon had a 3-2 edge on corner kicks. Graduate keeper Marcia Biddle|Woodbridge (Gar-Field) played the first 52:20 in front of the net for the Lancers with two saves. Sophomore keeper Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) played 22:25 for LU with one save, and junior keeper Kristen McGough|Florence, Ala. (Stoney Point-Texas) played the final 15:15 with no saves while the hosts had one team save during the combined shutout. Kristen Haney played the first 52:20 in front of the net for the Phoenix with two saves and four goals allowed, while Shannon Cosgrove played the final 37:40 with no saves and two goals allowed.

It was the sixth meeting between the two schools in the sport of women's soccer as Elon now leads the all-time series at 4-2. The match marked the beginning of the Wounded Warrior Weekend to honor members of the military wounded in combat with activities continuing through Saturday, September 18, including a 5K run/walk on Saturday morning at 9 a.m., along with a soccer contest Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m. that will feature a Longwood faculty and staff team against friends of fallen university alumni and family members.