FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood women's soccer controlled 110 minutes of regulation and extra time on Saturday night in the opening round of the Big South Championship against fifth-seeded Presbyterian. Unfortunately, the Lancers (4-9-6) couldn't unlock the final touch into the goal.
After a 0-0 draw, Presbyterian (7-5-5) advanced on penalties 4-2, the first time the team has advanced in the Big South Tournament in team history, for a date with top-seeded USC Upstate in the semifinals.
PC's goalkeeper, Kelly Hall, stopped a pair of penalty kicks before putting home the clincher herself.
| SCORE |
1 |
2 |
OT |
2OT |
FINAL |
PKs |
| PC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| LWU |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
PK
| PC |
O |
O |
X |
O |
O |
4 |
| LWU |
X |
X |
O |
O |
/ |
2 |
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Longwood owned the ball all night long and sent a variety of dangerous runs and shots on target. The Lancers racked up 62 percent possession and outshot Presbyterian 18-8.
Nine of those shots came in a fast first half as the Lancers were aggressive from the opening whistle.
Seven different players had a shot in the first 45 minutes, but Hall was everywhere.
Sydney Robertson headed a well-served corner, but Hall stretched and caught it with her foot to save it off the line.
Hall got a little help from the woodwork with 10 minutes to go in the half.
Coryn Silberstein ripped a laser the clanged off the top left corner of the iron after coming on as a sub.
Meanwhile, Presbyterian repeatedly tried to counter. They forced Longwood goalkeeper
Sara Curtis to make five saves to preserve the shutout. For Curtis, she did not allow a goal in the final 483:43 of the season.
In the second half, again, Longwood created chances.
Meghan Piazza forced a tough save from Hall early in the second half, and the Lancers kept flowing forward.
In the overtime frames, Presbyterian outshot Longwood 3-2 in the first 10 minute segment, but the Lancers roared back with a couple breakaway chances in the second 10 minutes.
Peyton Curney was denied on the doorstep by Hall.
The match then went into penalties, and Presbyterian scored the first two from Sarah Dieffenderfer and Harlan Lyons. Hall, meanwhile, made a pair of saves.
Curtis made a stop for Longwood, and
Emma Jones and
Sydney Robertson both put home penalties to get Longwood on the board.
Ultimately though, Lyla Chadd and Hall finished it off with back-to-back makes.
WHAT THEY SAID:
"Obviously we controlled a lot of the game and created plenty of chances, but it just wasn't meant to be tonight," said Longwood Head Coach
Todd Dyer. "I'm proud of our soccer in possession and how we defended, but we just couldn't come up with the goal we needed to get the result we needed to advance. It's sad because this is such a fun group to work with, led by our seniors, and now this season and our journey together is over. It stings right now, but I'd do it all over again with this group in a heartbeat."
UP NEXT:
Longwood's season is finished, and the team will return to the pitch to chase next season's Big South title in the fall of 2025.
#GoWood #HorsePower
