LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The Lee women's soccer team opened Gulf South Conference play with a 3-0 win over West Alabama on Friday evening. The Lady Flames improved to 3-0-2 overall with the victory and will move onto the University of Alabama in Huntsville to continue conference play on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Lee got on the board in the 26th minute (26:45) when sophomore Alaysia Nye scored her first goal of the year on a cross from senior Tatum Miller. The Lady Flames built the lead to 2-0 some five minutes later (31:54) when grad student Kate Dirkse went to work with her perfected header again. This came on a corner kick that was delivered from sophomore Avery Sides. It was Dirkse's second goal of the season and Sides' second assist.
The score remained 2-0 at the end of the first 45 minutes of rugged play. The Lady Flames salted the victory away in the 51st minute (51:41) of the second stanza when junior Jordan Blair drilled her shot into the back of the net for her first score of the year. Freshman Hailey Johnson delivered the cross that resulted in the goal. Katie Wilson, Miller, Blair, Johnson and Nora Burton also fired shots that missed for the Lady Flames.
West Alabama's stat sheet shows Lee firing 10 shots and the Tigers getting off seven. The sheet has Lee having five shots on goal and West Alabama five. Sophomore Josie Taylor, who was making her first start in goal for the Lady Flames, was credited with four saves. Tiger goalkeeper Dior Wilson gave up three goals and had three saves.Statistics show the Lady Flames with only two corner kicks and West Alabama one. The Lady Flames had seven fouls and the Tigers 12 but West Alabama received a pair of yellow cards.
Coach Chris Hennessey's thoughts:
"It was a good, hard-fought win by our girls tonight. This is always a tough place to play. The dimensions of the field are smaller than we are used to playing on and the turf is very hard. Our girls adjusted very well and for the most part played very smart soccer.
"West Alabama played defensive soccer most of the night and dropped a lot of players deep. Our girls were able to control the action at midfield and set up some good shots. In this rugged environment we got some girls banged up and we will have to take a look at that as we move back to Tuscaloosa to spend the night.
"We will take the team on up to Huntsville on Saturday and get ready for another conference game with a good Alabama Huntsville team on Sunday. A day of extra rest is always helpful as we prepare for the next conference opponent.
