FARMVILLE, Va. – It took a relentless wave of offensive pressure, but the Lancers were eventually able to score the goal they needed.  

It took Longwood (4-2, 1-0 MAC) a season-high 32 shots to get that goal, which came off the stick of Sophia Loscher, but it was enough to send the Lancers past Central Michigan 1-0 in their first MAC contest of the year Friday afternoon at Elizabeth Burger Jackson Field. The win was the third straight for the Lancers, who have now engineered three straight shutouts, all at home.

That latest clean sheet was the third of the season and 12th career for senior goalkeeper Katie Wyman, who ranks third in school history in that category. She stopped the lone shot she faced Friday, earning the one-save shutout behind a staunch Longwood backline and midfield that held the Chippewas (2-6, 0-1 MAC) to just two shots the entire game. 

Longwood's dominance in the midfield made for a difficult day in goal for Central Michigan keeper Abigail Ebersole who put forth a heroic effort with 15 saves on Longwood's 16 shots. She stopped the first 10 shots she faced before Loscher broke through less than two minutes before halftime. 

"It was a good game," said head coach Iain Byers. "I think we played very well, as did their goalkeeper. It was a very impressive performance from her—we put the ball at her, but she made the saves she needed to. Towards the end it got a little hectic and we would have liked to been a bit more comfortable, but a 1-0 win against a powerful team and 1-0 in the MAC is a good start."

Longwood senior Olivia Wawrzyniak led Longwood with eight shots, and midfielder Charlotte Wilm added six of her own. Freshman Caroline Verhappen made her first collegiate start for Longwood in the midfield, recording one shot on goal, while contributing significantly to Longwood's possession dominance.
 
Loscher's deciding goal came just before the end of the first half. Following a pair of cards against the Chippewas, Loscher was able to get her stick on a loose ball in the arc and put it in to give the Lancers all the cushion that they would need.
 
"I think we had most of the possession, at least in the first 30 minutes," said Clara Meschini, who added three shots to complement her strong defensive play. "We struggled a little finishing plays in their circle, so I think we need to keep working on finishing the good balls in the end to score more goals."
 
For Wyman, the stretch of three consecutive shutouts is a career high, and the first time the Lancers have recorded three straight shutouts under Byers. The defensive backline of Luna Lopez, Clara Meschini, and Rio Weber helped hold Central Michigan to just two total shots in the game.
 
With the win, the Lancers improved to 1-0 in the MAC as they begin their journey back to the MAC tournament, which they have reached for three consecutive seasons. That journey back to the postseason will break for a three-game stretch of non-conference games against Vermont, Virginia and William & Mary before resuming against Ohio on Oct. 5.
 
"We want to place in the top three in the MAC and go to the final this year," said Meschini.

Winning their first conference game is a step in the right direction for Longwood.
 
Up next for the Lancers is Vermont, who they will host on Friday, Sept. 27. The game is set to start at 2 p.m.
 
#GoWood