Radford Scores Late to Escape Gardner-Webb, 3-2, on Wednesday Night
October 17, 2013 | Women's Soccer
Radford, Va. - Radford's Britney Kendall scored the go-ahead goal in the 80th minute to break a 2-2 tie late in the second half, and the Highlanders held on late to secure a 3-2 win over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night in Big South women's soccer action.
Prior to Kendall's game-winner, the Runnin' Bulldogs had netted two unanswered goals to tie the match in the second half. Both goals came from GWU leading scorer Shelby Hooe, who moved in to a tie for third in the Big South in scoring (7 goals) with her performance Wednesday night.
GWU (3-11-1, 1-6 Big South) was put into an early hole when a combination assist from Rachel Conway and Asyia Mitchell awarded Melanie Priestley a quality look on goal in the 3rd minute. Priestley capitalized, sending a shot from ten yards out that found the back of the net and put Radford on top 1-0.
The Runnin' Bulldogs looked to respond facing adversity early, on the road against the League-leading Highlanders (11-1-1, 7-0 Big South). GWU pushed the ball forward, earning a good look at the goal when Hooe found space in the Highlanders' back line to fire a shot attempt, but her scoring bid went right of the goal.
Radford swung momentum back in their favor by pressuring the GWU defense, resulting in shot attempts by Mitchell and Sahar Aflaki. The Runnin' Bulldog defense blocked Mitchell's attempt and Schmitt saved Aflaki's before Sydney Golden netted her fourth goal of the year on a left-footed strike from 22 yards out to put the Highlanders up 2-0 in the 14th minute.
The home team continued to apply pressure, as the Highlanders looked to put the match away early. Aflaki had a shot attempt blocked in the 20th minute and Golden sent a shot that sailed wide of the goal in the 21st minute.
GWU got right back in the match when Hooe (Mechanicsville, Va.) challenged the Radford defense again and was fouled inside the box. The sophomore capitalized on the penalty kick in the 22nd minute, finding the back of the net to cut Radford's lead in half at 2-1.
Hooe's penalty kick marked only the second goal given up by the Highlanders in Big South play this season.
With newfound momentum in hand, Gardner-Webb looked to become the aggressor late in the half, producing a shot attempt in the 34th minute from redshirt junior Meagan Reynolds (Kings Mountain, N.C.). A collapsing Radford defense blocked Reynolds' attempt, and an offsides call against the Runnin' Bulldogs in the 38th minute derailed a promising scoring chance to keep the score at 2-1 late in the first period of play.
In the 40th minute, Hooe moved into position to challenge Radford keeper Che' Brown with a shot attempt, but the Highlanders' keeper stepped up to save the attempt. Freshman Braddick Price (Huntington, W.Va.) looked to do the same a minute later, but her scoring bid was blocked, as Gardner-Webb continued to play forward in an effort to net the equalizer.
Radford came out of the break aggressively, taking two shot attempts in the first two minutes of the second half to pressure GWU. Aflaki had a shot attempt sail off frame, and keeper Amy Schmitt stepped up to save a shot by Conway and keep the Runnin' Bulldogs' deficit at one goal in the 47th minute.
Gardner-Webb netted the equalizer in the 53rd minute when Hooe found the back of the net for the second time on the night. Hooe took a pass from Reynolds to net GWU's second unanswered goal and tie the score at 2-2.
Schmitt (Waxhaw, N.C.) stepped up for her third save of the night when Godlen put a shot on frame in the 58th minute. Radford continued to pressure the Runnin' Bulldog defense, producing a shot from Britney Kendall that went wide in the 63rd minute.
After Reynolds found space to test the home team with a shot attempt in the 70th minute, Gardner-Webb's defense continued to battle the Highlander offensive attack, as Radford continued to press the ball forward looking for the go-ahead goal. A shot by Kara Wade, taken a minute later, was put on frame, but Schmitt made the save to keep the score knotted at 2-2.
Radford capitalized in the 80th minute when Kendall, the reigning Big South player of the week, scored off a combination assist from Ruh'e and Conway to put the Highlanders on top 3-2 late in the second half.
Gardner-Webb looked to rally in the match's final minute, gaining possession on Radford's side of the pitch and playing the ball forward to Hooe, who took a shot in the final seconds only to have it blocked by a well-positioned Radford defense, and the Highlanders escaped with a 3-2 win at home.
Hooe's two goals added to her team-leading total, giving her seven goals on the year, the most for any Runnin' Bulldog in a single season since Dawn Rollyson scored ten regular season goals in 2011. Fueled by Hooe's two goals and Reynolds' assist, Gardner-Webb scored more goals (2) than Radford had allowed in its six previous Big South matches this season.
Radford's Brown collected the win, making one save to help Radford pick up its eleventh win on the year. Schmitt took the loss for GWU while tallying seven saves to help the Runnin' Bulldogs stay in contention throughout the match.
Gardner-Webb returns to the pitch on Saturday, October 19 to host Liberty in a match scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Radford travels to face High Point on the road on Saturday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m.
| Box Score: Radford 3, Gardner-Webb 2 |
