Women's Soccer 9/20/2012 7:44:00 PM VMIKeydets.com

Women's Soccer Drops Big South Opener, 2-0

LEXINGTON, Va. – Ashley Clark, the Big South's leading scorer this season, tallied the only two goals of the game to help the Campbell Fighting Camels defeat the VMI Keydets, 2-0, Thursday afternoon at VMI's Patchin Field.

On a day marked by a great deal of midfield play and very few shots, Clark had seven of the day's 19 total tries. She got on the board in the 20th minute off an assist from Melissa Messier, beating VMI's (1-6, 0-1 Big South) Kirsten Hancock lower left, and scored again in the 57th minute for her eighth goal of the season, to account for the final margin. Only five other Campbell (6-1, 1-0 Big South) shots were on goal, while the Keydets managed three tries on net.

Clark has now scored Campbell's last three goals against VMI, after also scoring the lone goal in CU's 1-0 victory last year in Buies Creek, N.C. This year's contest marked the Big South opener for both schools, as the Camels won their fourth straight match overall.

A very slow paced match got underway on a day with seasonable temperatures, which hovered in the 70's all afternoon. There were just two shots in the first 19:16, with CU taking both as the Keydet back line and midfield thwarted several combination plays by the visitors. At 19:16, however, Clark struck by taking a through ball from Messier. The resultant shot was a quick blast, lower left from 15 yards out, and it found the back of the net for a 1-0 Campbell lead.

The Camels would have just one shot on goal the remainder of the half, and the Keydets came back in the 28th minute. Liz Affronti took a corner kick and the ball came free in the middle of the box. Several VMI players were in position, but it was Sarah Putney who got off the shot. CU keeper Ryann Torrero, however, was up to the task and made a sliding kick save, keeping the Keydets off the scoreboard.

Only one other shot was taken the remainder of the half, so Campbell preserved its 1-0 lead into halftime.

Clark came out quickly in the second half, as she took the first four shots over an 11:21 span, including testing Hancock twice. On the fifth try, Clark took a pass from Kirsty Meyer and shot from 25 yards out, around a Keydet defender, and beat Hancock to the keeper's left for her second goal of the day, and a 2-0 CU lead. The goal came at the 56:49 mark.

VMI was able to put a shot on goal in the 61st minute, as Simone Jimenez redirected a ball towards the net, but CU keeper Alexis Connors made the stop. Mackenzie Harrmann then relieved Hancock for VMI, doing so in the 64th minute, and was immediately tested by a Meyer header. The freshman was able to make the save, however, as she was on a try in the 77th minute as well.

The Keydets, meanwhile, had one more chance late, as they earned a pair of corner kicks in the 87th minute. Off the second of those efforts, a ball was popped to the head of Nicole Blixt, who tipped the ball toward Connors in goal, but the CU keeper was able to make the save to preserve the combined shutout.

"I am very proud and pleased with the way our women played this afternoon,” said VMI head coach Bryan Williams. “We were playing against the top team in conference at the start of this Big South season, and we played tough, competitive soccer against them. I was very pleased with our back line play, led by Kacey Hall, but in particular the play of the two outside backs, Courtney Mason and Sarah Putney, was terrific. I also was very happy with our midfield play, led by Simone Jimenez and Allie Segura. Despite the 2-0 result, my team played as a team and created opportunities that Campbell struggled to deal with throughout the match. I look forward to our next match against High Point on Saturday.”

The visitors held a 15-4 edge in shots on the day, while the Keydets posted a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks. Campbell's two goalies combined for three saves, while Hancock and Harrmann stopped five total shots.

VMI women's soccer will return to action Saturday, facing Big South foe High Point at Patchin Field. Game time is set for 2 p.m.

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