No. 2/3 Mountaineers Victorious in Home Finale
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (October 18, 2015) – The No. 2/3 West Virginia University women’s soccer team closed its final regular-season homestand in commanding fashion, defeating Iowa State 4-0 this afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers (14-1-1, 5-0-1) played brilliantly on both sides of the ball, placing 12 of their 38 shots on goal and tallying two scores each half while holding the Cyclones (6-11, 0-7) to just one shot each half. ISU became the sixth opponent this season to fail to earn a corner kick against the Mountaineers.
“There’s a high standard of success here at WVU, and winning today and earning the shutout was just icing on the cake for our final regular-season homestand,” said 20-year Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “I’m so proud of this team and our seniors – they’re extremely special, and I’m so fortunate to coach them.”
With the win, WVU’s nation-best 13th shutout of the season, the Mountaineers pushed their unbeaten streak to 14. WVU now needs one more clean sheet to match the program single-season record, set in 2010.
The Mountaineers are now unbeaten in their last 30 straight conference home matches. WVU has not dropped a conference match in Morgantown since losing 3-2 in overtime to No. 8 Notre Dame on Oct. 2, 2009.
“We are unbeaten, and that was a preseason goal,” Izzo-Brown said of the team’s play at DDSS. “It takes a lot for a team to stay unbeaten at home, especially given some of the teams that have come through here this year. It’s incredible, and I’m so proud of them.”
WVU finished its last regular-season weekend in Morgantown with a 10-0 edge in goals, having defeated Kansas 6-0 Friday night. The Mountaineers’ season goal total now stands at 44, 11 short of matching the program single-season record of 55, set in 2006.
The Mountaineers needed 25 minutes this afternoon to crack the scoreboard, but the goal was worth waiting for, as senior forward Kailey Utley sent a low shot from the left wing that beat ISU’s Lindsey Hendon to the far right post. Classmate Amanda Hill initiated the score with a great through ball.
Utley’s goal was her second straight game winner and her conference-best fifth of the season. With the assist, Hill pushed her weekend point total to six, as she tallied two goals and an assist in the win over the Jayhawks.
Sophomore forward Heather Kaleiohi ensured the Mountaineers a two-goal halftime advantage, as she tallied her first career goal in the 41st minute. The score was the reward to a fantastic individual effort, as the San Diego, California, native stole the ball from an ISU defender before ripping a shot from the top of the box that sailed toward the upper left corner of the net.
WVU pushed its lead to three in the 56th minute. Following a textbook steal, junior defender Kadeisha Buchanan sent a through ball to a streaking Michaela Abam. Hendon came off her line for the challenge, but Abam reached the ball first and sent a hard shot in for her team-best 10th goal of the season. The Houston native now ranks fourth on the Mountaineers’ all-time sophomore goal list.
WVU iced the match in the 86th minute off a blast from freshman defender Hannah Abraham. The Fairchance, Pennsylvania, native connected on her lone shot of the game, an attempt from at least 25-yards out that sailed toward the right post. The score was Abraham’s third of the season.
The Mountaineers’ final goal count may have been higher today had it not been for three unlucky bounces off the crossbar, including two in the second half off shots from sophomore Carla Portillo and senior Kelsie Maloney.
Junior forward Ashley Lawrence was inches from earning the fastest goal in program history today, as she earned a fantastic chance at the right post just 48 seconds into the match, but Hendon was able to block the shot with her body for the save.
“This team has the understanding and the passion to know that we just have to buckle down and work for goals,” said Izzo-Brown. “This game is so cruel. We understand that sometimes even the easiest goals don’t go into the back of the net. You just have to have perseverance.”
The Cyclones’ best chance came in the 51st minute. A Mountaineer foul gave ISU a free kick near its bench. The ball bounced around inside the box before landing at the feet of Jordan Enga. The midfielder sent a falling shot toward the net, but Mountaineer senior Hannah Steadman was there for the catching save.
Steadman finished with two saves for her 10th shutout of the season. The Kinnelon, New Jersey, native ranks fifth in the WVU career record book with 21 career shutouts.
Hendon finished with seven saves.
Sixteen Mountaineers finished with at least one shot today, including a game-high five from Abam. She and junior midfielder Ashley Lawrence each placed two shots on-goal.
Today marked the final home regular-season contest for six Mountaineer seniors: Hill, Utley, Steadman, Maloney, Maggie Bedillion and Leah Emaus. The class has amassed a four-year record of 56-12-12 under Izzo-Brown.
The Mountaineers close their regular-season slate with two Big 12 Conference road matches. WVU opens the road trip on Friday, Oct. 23, at Oklahoma State. First kick is set for 8 p.m. ET.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (October 18, 2015) – The No. 2/3 West Virginia University women’s soccer team closed its final regular-season homestand in commanding fashion, defeating Iowa State 4-0 this afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers (14-1-1, 5-0-1) played brilliantly on both sides of the ball, placing 12 of their 38 shots on goal and tallying two scores each half while holding the Cyclones (6-11, 0-7) to just one shot each half. ISU became the sixth opponent this season to fail to earn a corner kick against the Mountaineers.
“There’s a high standard of success here at WVU, and winning today and earning the shutout was just icing on the cake for our final regular-season homestand,” said 20-year Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “I’m so proud of this team and our seniors – they’re extremely special, and I’m so fortunate to coach them.”
With the win, WVU’s nation-best 13th shutout of the season, the Mountaineers pushed their unbeaten streak to 14. WVU now needs one more clean sheet to match the program single-season record, set in 2010.
The Mountaineers are now unbeaten in their last 30 straight conference home matches. WVU has not dropped a conference match in Morgantown since losing 3-2 in overtime to No. 8 Notre Dame on Oct. 2, 2009.
“We are unbeaten, and that was a preseason goal,” Izzo-Brown said of the team’s play at DDSS. “It takes a lot for a team to stay unbeaten at home, especially given some of the teams that have come through here this year. It’s incredible, and I’m so proud of them.”
WVU finished its last regular-season weekend in Morgantown with a 10-0 edge in goals, having defeated Kansas 6-0 Friday night. The Mountaineers’ season goal total now stands at 44, 11 short of matching the program single-season record of 55, set in 2006.
The Mountaineers needed 25 minutes this afternoon to crack the scoreboard, but the goal was worth waiting for, as senior forward Kailey Utley sent a low shot from the left wing that beat ISU’s Lindsey Hendon to the far right post. Classmate Amanda Hill initiated the score with a great through ball.
Utley’s goal was her second straight game winner and her conference-best fifth of the season. With the assist, Hill pushed her weekend point total to six, as she tallied two goals and an assist in the win over the Jayhawks.
Sophomore forward Heather Kaleiohi ensured the Mountaineers a two-goal halftime advantage, as she tallied her first career goal in the 41st minute. The score was the reward to a fantastic individual effort, as the San Diego, California, native stole the ball from an ISU defender before ripping a shot from the top of the box that sailed toward the upper left corner of the net.
WVU pushed its lead to three in the 56th minute. Following a textbook steal, junior defender Kadeisha Buchanan sent a through ball to a streaking Michaela Abam. Hendon came off her line for the challenge, but Abam reached the ball first and sent a hard shot in for her team-best 10th goal of the season. The Houston native now ranks fourth on the Mountaineers’ all-time sophomore goal list.
WVU iced the match in the 86th minute off a blast from freshman defender Hannah Abraham. The Fairchance, Pennsylvania, native connected on her lone shot of the game, an attempt from at least 25-yards out that sailed toward the right post. The score was Abraham’s third of the season.
The Mountaineers’ final goal count may have been higher today had it not been for three unlucky bounces off the crossbar, including two in the second half off shots from sophomore Carla Portillo and senior Kelsie Maloney.
Junior forward Ashley Lawrence was inches from earning the fastest goal in program history today, as she earned a fantastic chance at the right post just 48 seconds into the match, but Hendon was able to block the shot with her body for the save.
“This team has the understanding and the passion to know that we just have to buckle down and work for goals,” said Izzo-Brown. “This game is so cruel. We understand that sometimes even the easiest goals don’t go into the back of the net. You just have to have perseverance.”
The Cyclones’ best chance came in the 51st minute. A Mountaineer foul gave ISU a free kick near its bench. The ball bounced around inside the box before landing at the feet of Jordan Enga. The midfielder sent a falling shot toward the net, but Mountaineer senior Hannah Steadman was there for the catching save.
Steadman finished with two saves for her 10th shutout of the season. The Kinnelon, New Jersey, native ranks fifth in the WVU career record book with 21 career shutouts.
Hendon finished with seven saves.
Sixteen Mountaineers finished with at least one shot today, including a game-high five from Abam. She and junior midfielder Ashley Lawrence each placed two shots on-goal.
Today marked the final home regular-season contest for six Mountaineer seniors: Hill, Utley, Steadman, Maloney, Maggie Bedillion and Leah Emaus. The class has amassed a four-year record of 56-12-12 under Izzo-Brown.
The Mountaineers close their regular-season slate with two Big 12 Conference road matches. WVU opens the road trip on Friday, Oct. 23, at Oklahoma State. First kick is set for 8 p.m. ET.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter.
