CLEVELAND, Tenn.-It took only 55 seconds for the Lee University women's soccer team to move out in front of visiting University of West Georgia in the quarterfinal round of the Gulf South Conference tournament that was played at the Ray Conn Sports Complex on Saturday evening.
The Lady Flames added an insurance goal in the 64th minute of the second half in posting the 2-0 victory and advanced to the semifinal round to face Mississippi College on Thursday at 7 p.m. (EST). The Lady Choctaws earned the right to face Lee by defeating Valdosta State University..
The first upset of the tourney also occurred on Saturday when top-seeded University of West Florida was beaten by eighth-seeded University of West Alabama in the second overtime 1-0. West Alabama will be pitted against the University of Montevallo in the other semifinal contest. All the semifinal games and the finale will be played at the John Hunt Park Championship Field in Huntsville, Ala.
Jordan Blair, a defensive standout for the Lady Flames the entire year, stepped up to score the first goal of the evening (00:55). Blair's score was her second of the year and came off her right foot and into the back-left corner of the goal. The goal was unassisted.
The contest remained 1-0 at halftime. The Lady Flames added some cushion against the defensive-minded Wolves in the 64th minute (64:17) when freshman Amelya Jacobs, who has come up big for Coach Chris Hennessey's team all season, recorded her eighth goal. She picked up a well-played pass from senior Tatum Miller and nailed her shot into the back-right corner of the net off her right foot. It was Miller's four assist.
The Lady Flames pushed their unbeaten mark to 14-0-4 on the year and they have now recorded 11 shutouts along the way. West Georgia completes its season at 6-7-4. Lee's defensive charge was led by Katie Wilson, Avery Sides, Hailey Johnson, Ashley Eulo and the team leader Kate Dirkse.
Lee took 21 shots and placed nine on goal. Grace Berry had what looked like a certain goal that was turned away and that was also true from a shot by Juliana Lopes. Before the game ended Lopes had fired three shots and Jacobs a pair. West Georgia goalkeeper Haley Brinkman had seven saves.
The Wolves were able to get away four shots against Lee's stingy defense and Abby Whitcomb, Lee's reliable goalkeeper, picked up her 11th win of the year with three saves. The Lady Flames domination was shown by seven corner kicks while they allowed just three for West Georgia. Each side was called for 10 fouls and both received a yellow card.
Coach Chris Hennessey's Thought's
"The early goal was a huge bonus and we played a very strong first half. We defended when we needed to defend and had really good ideas in the attack." We new they were going to come out in the second half and they pushed and we had to be resilient."
"With the postseason it is whoever wants it more and today we fought hard. And Thursday will be another tough game. Mississippi College is very good and it will come down to who wants it more."
