LEXINGTON, Va. - After a spirited, scoreless first half, the Winthrop Eagles scored four times in the opening 10:57 of the second period and went on to a 4-0 win over the VMI Keydets, in NCAA women's soccer action Saturday afternoon at VMI's Patchin Field.
In the first half, VMI's (2-9, 0-4 Big South) defense appeared to have WU (7-2-1, 3-1 Big South) standout Krystyna Freda well covered, forcing her into several awkward shots with little pace on them. Freda made her presence felt just seconds into the second half, however, sending a corner kick into the box, about five yards to the left of VMI keeper Emily Marbury.
Kelly Clark redirected the perfectly placed ball with her head, sending it into the net for the game's first goal, and WU would add three more, including one by Freda to seal the scoring in the 56th minute. Freda finished with a goal - her Big South-leading 12th of the year - and two assists, while also participating in the one Eagle goal she was not credited with a point on.
The stats by half told the tale of the still, hot day, as Winthrop held a 24-6 edge in total shots, but in the first half, that margin had been just 9-6. WU also posted a 7-2 edge in corners, including 5-1 in the second half.
The Keydet defense came out inspired in the opening half, and the offensive side of the ball took notice. Sarah Putney was moved into a midfield role and got off VMI's first shot in the 10th minute, but the try went high. Marbury stopped Freda on a slow, bounding header moments later, and the Keydets had a chance in the 15th minute.
Erica Putney sent in a corner kick, and after a volley in the box, Meredith Baldasare wound up with the ball at her feet, but her shot missed wide. A Sam Boney shot then forced WU's first save of the match at 15:38, as the contest continued scoreless. The teams traded saves on shots from distance, with Freda, who was second in the country in points per game coming in, continuing to be stymied by the VMI back line.
Marbury made saves in the 34th and 35th minutes, and Winthrop had its first quality chance in the 42nd minute. Freda sent in a corner kick from the far side, but Marbury came off her line and punched the ball out of the box to avert the scoring chance. The VMI keeper then stopped a point blank tap in moments later, and the match went to halftime scoreless after perhaps the best Keydet half of the season.
Marbury was credited with five first half saves, and the Keydets had six first half shots to nine for Winthrop. WU keeper Amelia Henderson stopped both of VMI's first half shots on goal.
The visitors struck quickly to open the second half, as Freda got off a hard shot to Marbury's left just moments into the period. The keeper made a diving stop, but the save led to a corner kick and Clark's goal, putting WU up 1-0.
That margin doubled in the 49th minute, when Freda sent in a free kick from near the VMI bench, about 25 yards out. Devin Puckett, facing Freda, tipped the ball toward the goal with her head, redirecting it past Marbury for a goal and a 2-0 Eagle advantage. The two goals were virtual copies of each other.
Freda also played a role in the next score for the visitors, sending in a 54th minute corner. Marbury tipped the ball in the air, but bobbled it on the way down. There was a battle in the box with multiple players getting feet on it, but Taylor Coleman of Winthrop found it and finished for a 3-0 lead.
Marbury made a gallant effort to half the Winthrop run at 54:46, turning aside Freda on a penalty kick, but it was not to be as Freda added on in the 56th minute, scoring on a left to right shot from 15 yards out to account for the final margin, 4-0.
Marbury finished the day with seven saves, while Liz Nickerson played the final 34:03 and made one stop. Henderson was credited with two saves in 77 minutes-plus, while Caroline Duncan played the final 12:49 for WU and was not credited with a stop.
"Once again, this was a tough afternoon for us," said VMI head coach Bryan Williams. "I felt like we played fantastic soccer in the opening half, maybe the best half we've played in two years. Possession, control and the pressure we put on Winthrop was pretty terrific. Halftime changed this match though. We did a good job keeping their starters on the field in the first half, and wore them down a bit, but they threw a lot of substitutes at us in the second half and that made a difference. We also didn't defend on their restarts, as all four of their scores essentially came on restarts. That shows our inexperience, but we are growing and maturing from these experiences. We are working hard and are continuing to improve."
VMI women's soccer will return to action Wednesday, when the Keydets play host to the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs. Action gets underway at 4 p.m.
