September 2, 2008

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took an exciting 1-0 women's soccer victory past visiting VMI in overtime Tuesday night at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.  Sophomore Kayla Huggins/North Haven, Conn. (North Haven) scored with just 20-seconds left in the first extra period as she fired a shot into the back right corner of the net, assisted by redshirt-sophomore Kaylyn Mahon/Spring Grove, Pa. (Spring Grove).  The Lancers are now 2-1-1, while the Keydets of the Big South Conference dropped to 0-2.  Longwood is scheduled to play again September 12-14 at a tournament hosted by Southern Conference member Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.  A scheduled tournament at Coastal Carolina University Sept. 5-7 was canceled due to Tropical Storm Hanna.
   
Against VMI, the Keydets outplayed the Lancers during the opening 45 minutes of action as the hosts were fortunate to go into the intermission tied at 0-0.  Mahon had a shot on-goal just 26-seconds into the contest that was saved, while the visitors had four shots during the opening 11:57, two stopped and two wide.  Longwood played much more effective soccer during the second half but was unable to score a goal as the match went to overtime.  LU?had back-to-back shots in the 78th minute that were saved as well, and the best threat of the night on a breakaway was also nicely thwarted by the visiting keeper.
   
It appeared the first 10-minute extra period would end scoreless as well before Longwood gained a late possession as Mahon threaded a perfect through-pass on the left-side to a streaking Huggins who controlled the ball before taking the decisive shot that beat the keeper right to end the closely-played contest.
   
Longwood took a narrow 11-9 advantage in shots, including 5-3 in attempts on-goal, and had a 6-4 edge in corner kicks.  Redshirt-sophomore keeper Marcia Biddle/Woodbridge (Gar-Field) made three saves while playing the duration in front of the net for Longwood, posting her third shutout in four matches.  Heidi Beemer played the entire match in goal for VMI as well with four saves.
   
Longwood now leads the overall series against VMI at 4-0-1 since first playing in 2003.