CLEVELAND, Tenn.-The Lee women's soccer team will take an unbeaten record into their final regular season game of the year on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m.) when they host Union University. It will also be senior day for the Lady Flames. Friday's impressive 5-1 win over Christian Brothers University at the Ray Conn Sports Complex pushed Lee's record to 12-0-4 overall and 5-0-2 in GSC play. CBU dropped to 5-9-3, 3-8-1.
The Lady Flames wasted no time in posting their score of the afternoon. Isabella Valentine delivered a cross that resulted in a hand ball by the Lady Bucs defense. The referee awarded Lee with a penalty kick and Kate Dirkse stepped up and delivered her sixth goal of the year at the 2:07 mark.
Lee's second and final score of the first half came in the 21st minute. Valentine got into the action again scoring the first goal of her career on a boot off the left-foot. The assist came from Hailey Johnson. It was her second assist of the year.
The Lady Flames quickly moved out to a 3-0 lead in the 48th minute (48:48) of the second stanza. Lady Bucs keeper Chloe Hillyer was whistled for a foul and the Lady Flames were awarded their second penalty kick of the game. Dirkse stepped and nailed the shot. It was her seventh goal of the year.
Christian Brothers made it a 3-1 game in the 60th (60:13) minute. This time it was the Lady Bucs getting a penalty kick and Luisa Velten cashed in, blasting her shot into the right-side corner of the net.
Lee responded a few seconds later (60:25) and put the contest away when Nora Burton took a pass from Jordan Blair and scored her first goal of the year with a shot that sailed into the top center of the goal. Blair's assist was also her first.
The final score came in the 70th minute (70:52) when Tatum Miller dished off an assist to Amelya Jacobs who promptly delivered a shot with her left foot into the left-corner of the net. It was Jacobs' fifth goal of the year and Miller's fourth assist.
A total of 23 shots were fired during the afternoon game. The Lady Flames took 12 and placed nine on goal. Hillyer had four saves in taking the loss. Christian Brothers fired 11 shots, several from far out, but seven were on target. Lee keeper Abby Whitcomb was kept busy with six saves.
Coach Chris Hennessey went to his bench often and used seven substitutions. Lee's defense, led by Avery Sides, Katie Wilson, Dirkse and Blair, helped control the Lady Bucs offense. The stats showed CBU getting no corner kicks. On the other hand, Lee had five. The Lady Flames were called for 16 fouls and the Lady Bucs 12.
Coach Chris Hennessey's Thoughts:
"It's been a challenge the last few weeks coming slow out of the blocks and not played a complete 90. But I thought we responded tonight with good ideas and good teamwork and we deserved the win."
"We challenged the girls for this weekend to be ready and give us the momentum going into the postseason."
