CLEVELAND, Tenn.-On an evening that you could not ask for better weather and playing conditions, the Lee University women’s soccer team helped celebrate Kick’n It For Kids With Cancer in support of the Austin Hatcher Foundation with a convincing 3-0 GSC victory over Spring Hill College (Mobile, Ala.) at the Ray Conn Sports Complex.
With the win, the Lady Flames remain unbeaten in conference play 3-0-1 and 3-2-3 overall while the Badgers slipped to 0-2-2 and 3-4-2. Lee will return to action on Sunday for a showdown with talented West Florida which is slated for a 1 p.m. first kick.
Playing aggressive soccer from the opening minutes and getting outstanding play in the goal from keeper Abby Whitcomb, the Lady Flames moved on top in the 18th minute (18:40) when Grace Berry nailed a left-footed kick from some 10 yards away. The assist was recorded by Isabella Valentine. It was Berry’s third goal of the year.
Lee made it a 2-0 margin at the halftime break. At the 39:59 mark, Alaysia Nye registered her first goal of the season when she scrambled to pick up a loose ball in front of the Badger goal and nailed it into the back of the net.
The Lady Flames had to turn back a much more aggressive Spring Hill attack in the second 45 minutes. However, thanks to the play of Whitcomb and one final goal by Sydnee Duncan, Lee moved out to the final score of the evening. Duncan’s first goal of the year was assisted by Beyonce Robinson.
Coach Lee Hughes took advantage of the opportunity and used 21 players in the victory and only three players played the entire 90 minutes. Whitcomb was one of the three and came up with seven saves, six coming in the second half. Badger keeper Carlotta Stark also played the entire contest, allowing all three Lee goals and picking up four saves.
The Lady Flames had 13 shots overall and placed seven on target. Nye was the only Lee player to place a pair of shots on goal while Nora Burton and Jordan Blair joined the other Lee scorers with shots on target. Corner kicks were few and far between but the Lady Flames working for three and the Badgers picking up two. A total of 28 fouls were called, 18 against Lee and 10 against Spring Hill. Each team received a yellow card.
Coach Lee Hughes’ thoughts:
“Such a great occasion for a game when it’s connected to Austin Hatcher! So happy with the effort that the girls put in for this foundation! “
“We definitely have some things we need to keep getting better at. We will be striving to keep getting better and better each day. Certainly happy with the result, and we definitely saw some of our identity tonight!”
