MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (September 4, 2017) – The No. 6-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team put on a defensive clinic this evening, denying Wright State a shot and a corner kick en route to a 2-0 victory at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Tonight marks the sixth time in program history the Mountaineers (4-1) have denied an opponent a shot. WVU last achieved the record feat in a 4-0 win over Longwood on Sept. 13, 2015. The Raiders are the second team in three matches to not earn a corner kick against the WVU defense.
“We talked pregame about what we wanted to accomplish and how we wanted to grow as a team,” Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “Having the capabilities to do this speaks volumes of the back line and what our defensive mentality has been.”
The Mountaineers cruised to a win this evening thanks to an early cushion, as senior forward Michaela Abam converted a penalty kick just 2:22 into the match for her second score of the season and the 12th-fasted goal in program history. Senior defender Amandine Pierre-Louis earned a second penalty kick in the 82nd minute, and though her attempt was stopped by goalkeeper Maddie Jewell, she pounced on the rebound and easily chipped it into the empty right pocket of the net.
“It’s very hard to have such an emotional win after beating the No. 1 team in the country and then coming back out and finding that same energy,” Izzo-Brown said. “I was proud of that. Obviously, I would have liked more goals, but Wright State played us tough tonight, and we were able to find two. Two wins this weekend – I’ll take it.”
The WVU offense finished with a 33-0 edge in shots and forced Jewell into seven saves. The Mountaineers also earned 14 corner kicks.
Abam earned her free opportunity this evening. Posted inside the box waiting for a Mountaineer free kick, Jewell left her line and plowed into Abam and teammate Ellie Ganz, sending both to the ground.
With 34 career goals to her name, Abam now moves into a tie with Ashley Banks (2004-07) for fifth place in the WVU record book. She continues to rank No. 9 with 82 career points.
Jewell gave WVU its second penalty-kick chance as well. Freshman midfielder Lois Joel sent a cross toward the right post. As senior forward Heather Kaleiohi ran toward the ball, Jewell left her line and collided into the San Diego native just inside the six-yard box. Pierre-Louis stepped-up to the line and capitalized on her missed shot.
The Mountaineers challenged Jewell in the first half, rattling off 14 shots, with four on-frame.
Pierre-Louis nearly netted a goal in the 16th minute, as she fired a long ball from 25-yards away, but the shot cruelly slammed off the crossbar and out of play.
Sophomore midfielder Jade Gentile earned a chance with 98 seconds remaining in the first half. After receiving a through ball from freshman Lauren Segalla, she turned toward the net and placed a chip shot toward the near right post. Jewell was in the right position and slapped it away.
The Mountaineers earned their chances in the second half, including 10 corner kicks, five of which came in a span of three minutes midway through the half. Senior midfielder Alli Magaletta got her head on the ball twice in the series, but the first was blocked and the second hit the post.
Tonight’s clean sheet is the third of the season for WVU and sophomore goalkeeper Rylee Foster, who now shows 11 for her career.
Abam and Pierre-Louis paced the team with five shots each. Along with Kaleiohi, the trio finished with a game-high two shots on-goal.
The Mountaineers close their three-week homestand next weekend with a pair of matches at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. WVU kicks against No. 13 Duke on Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m., and against Richmond on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 1 p.m. Friday is WVU Faculty/Staff night, and free admission will be given to any WVU faculty and staff member who shows their WVU employee ID. Youth Soccer Day follows on Sunday, and all fans who wear a youth soccer jersey will ear free admittance into the match. Additionally, a free postgame clinic will follow the match.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter.
Tonight marks the sixth time in program history the Mountaineers (4-1) have denied an opponent a shot. WVU last achieved the record feat in a 4-0 win over Longwood on Sept. 13, 2015. The Raiders are the second team in three matches to not earn a corner kick against the WVU defense.
“We talked pregame about what we wanted to accomplish and how we wanted to grow as a team,” Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “Having the capabilities to do this speaks volumes of the back line and what our defensive mentality has been.”
The Mountaineers cruised to a win this evening thanks to an early cushion, as senior forward Michaela Abam converted a penalty kick just 2:22 into the match for her second score of the season and the 12th-fasted goal in program history. Senior defender Amandine Pierre-Louis earned a second penalty kick in the 82nd minute, and though her attempt was stopped by goalkeeper Maddie Jewell, she pounced on the rebound and easily chipped it into the empty right pocket of the net.
“It’s very hard to have such an emotional win after beating the No. 1 team in the country and then coming back out and finding that same energy,” Izzo-Brown said. “I was proud of that. Obviously, I would have liked more goals, but Wright State played us tough tonight, and we were able to find two. Two wins this weekend – I’ll take it.”
The WVU offense finished with a 33-0 edge in shots and forced Jewell into seven saves. The Mountaineers also earned 14 corner kicks.
Abam earned her free opportunity this evening. Posted inside the box waiting for a Mountaineer free kick, Jewell left her line and plowed into Abam and teammate Ellie Ganz, sending both to the ground.
With 34 career goals to her name, Abam now moves into a tie with Ashley Banks (2004-07) for fifth place in the WVU record book. She continues to rank No. 9 with 82 career points.
Jewell gave WVU its second penalty-kick chance as well. Freshman midfielder Lois Joel sent a cross toward the right post. As senior forward Heather Kaleiohi ran toward the ball, Jewell left her line and collided into the San Diego native just inside the six-yard box. Pierre-Louis stepped-up to the line and capitalized on her missed shot.
The Mountaineers challenged Jewell in the first half, rattling off 14 shots, with four on-frame.
Pierre-Louis nearly netted a goal in the 16th minute, as she fired a long ball from 25-yards away, but the shot cruelly slammed off the crossbar and out of play.
Sophomore midfielder Jade Gentile earned a chance with 98 seconds remaining in the first half. After receiving a through ball from freshman Lauren Segalla, she turned toward the net and placed a chip shot toward the near right post. Jewell was in the right position and slapped it away.
The Mountaineers earned their chances in the second half, including 10 corner kicks, five of which came in a span of three minutes midway through the half. Senior midfielder Alli Magaletta got her head on the ball twice in the series, but the first was blocked and the second hit the post.
Tonight’s clean sheet is the third of the season for WVU and sophomore goalkeeper Rylee Foster, who now shows 11 for her career.
Abam and Pierre-Louis paced the team with five shots each. Along with Kaleiohi, the trio finished with a game-high two shots on-goal.
The Mountaineers close their three-week homestand next weekend with a pair of matches at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. WVU kicks against No. 13 Duke on Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m., and against Richmond on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 1 p.m. Friday is WVU Faculty/Staff night, and free admission will be given to any WVU faculty and staff member who shows their WVU employee ID. Youth Soccer Day follows on Sunday, and all fans who wear a youth soccer jersey will ear free admittance into the match. Additionally, a free postgame clinic will follow the match.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter.