By: by Jessica Steadman
WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Wake Forest used a 2-0 first half lead to defeat the Kennesaw State women’s soccer team in the first round of the 2009 Women’s College Cup on Friday night at Spry Stadium.
The trip was the second time in the last three seasons that the Owls have advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Black and Gold ended the 2009 campaign with an 11-7-0 record while Wake moved to 14-5-2 and will play West Virginia at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
The Demon Deacons took an early 1-0 lead in the third minute with a goal by Casey Luckhurst from Allie Sadow. The goal was the first of the season by Luckhurst.
Shorty after, the Owls offense went on the attack, evening the shot count at three after Kristin Marietta and Lexi Hastings had back to back shots that sailed wide. Caitlin Dingle had KSU’s first shot on goal from the 18-yard line, sending a shot straight on at Wake’s keeper, Amanda Darasha, who made the save.
Casey Lockhurst tallied her first multi-goal game of her career after a header by Kaley Fountain was deflected off the Staci Pugh save right into the foot of Lockhurst who found the back of the net, allowing Wake Forest to go up 2-0 in the 15th minute.
With just over six minutes left in the first half, the Deacs missed another scoring opportunity after a Pugh save off the foot of Marisa Park deflected to Fountain who tried to take advantage of an open net but her shot went just wide right.
Neither team dominated offensively in the second half as the teams combined for just seven shots.
Thais Gibson and the Kennesaw State back line stepped up, stopping a breakaway from WFU’s Sarah Winslow followed by a Pugh save from Ally Berry.
With the time winding down, the Owls’ offense did not give up as Brittany Vining sent a cross to Dingle whose shot almost found the back of the net but was stopped by the hands of the Deacs’s keeper, Barasha, who tallied two saves in the match.
Lindsey HolmanKelley took the final shot of the match that went wide past Owls keeper, Melissa Hutto, who played the final eight minutes of the match.
The match was the final game of the year for the Owls three seniors: Maylee Attin-Johnson, Caitlin Dingle and Bridget Gaughan.
“I am very proud of my team,” said Gaughan. “Even though we lost, we played well after we settled down. This was a great experience, and I’m so happy to have made it this far in my last season.”
