HARRISONBURG, Va. – Permitting a mere two shots all afternoon, the Guilford College women's soccer team's defense was superb, eventually breaking through offensively to secure their second-straight Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) victory over Eastern Mennonite University, 2-0, at the EMU Turf Field on Saturday.
Securing a point in their third consecutive match, the Quakers improve to 8-2-2, 2-1-1 in league play and extend their head-to-head unbeaten streak against the Royals to six-straight, the longest on record for either side in the rivalry's history. For EMU, their first conference victory remains elusive, falling to 0-4-0 and 2-10-1 overall.
Thanks to the work done by the GC backline in front of her,
Ady Franken (Peoria, Ill.) faced a season-low two shots with only one posing a threat. She made the one save she needed to, collecting her third consecutive shutout and seventh on the season to improve to 7-2-2. The hosts turned to Aja Laun in goal and she was much busier, facing 25 shots, 14 of them on frame, the senior keeper made 12 stops but allowed two goals to fall to 1-10-1.
For the second-straight game,
Naomi Anderson (Youngsville, N.C.) netted the game-winner for the Quakers, her fourth such tally of the season.
Kylee Berry (Kernersville, N.C.) added an insurance goal late as well.
Mya Rivera (Parish, Fla.) was tied with Anderson for a match-high six shot attempts but it was
Jenna Shotton's (Walnut Cove, N.C.) five looks on goal that led all players. Esme Cardoso-Rodriguez was the lone Royal to get a shot on frame while Amiah Carter also attempted a shot for the hosts.
Guilford was in command right from the opening kick, controlling the possession and the tempo basically all 90 minutes. Their top scoring opportunity of the first stanza came in the 15
th minute when, on a counterattack, Rivera threaded a great pass from the center of the pitch to the left wing where
Carmen Ellis (Johnson City, Tenn.) ran it down. She took a shot from a tough angle that was saved by Laun, but the ricochet went to Anderson who shot it with her left foot, getting underneath it to miss high.
The Quakers got 12 looks in the opening 45, but only got four of them on net. Their defense was brilliant, however, restricting the Royals to just one shot that did not threaten the frame.
The Royals got their other shot attempt extremely early in the second half, with Cardoso-Rodriguez lobbing one directly into the waiting arms of Franken from the top of the 18'. But not long after, the Quakers would finally break the ice.
Off a defensive play, Berry launched a clear down the right wing that Anderson chased down around the top-right corner of the 18'. She maneuvered against the defender, getting into the box, got space by making the Royal stumble on a shot-fake, got another step in, switched feet, and went to the weak side of the net with her right foot to beat the keeper for her seventh goal of the season in the 54
th minute.
Guilford added insurance in the 82
nd minute. On an attack trying to catch up to a through ball from Anderson,
Isabella Irizarry (Waxhaw, N.C.) got tangled up with Isabelle Fraher, drawing a card on the EMU defender, and granting Guilford a free kick from a really good spot, straight away just beyond the 18'. Berry stepped up to take it, and went for it all from about 21 yards out, going to the bottom-left for her first goal of the year, bringing the final score to 2-0.
Guilford returns to their home turf to host Randolph College next on Wednesday, October 16
th. First kick is set for 4 PM.
#GoQuakes
