LEXINGTON, Va. - Killian Buckley's first career goal broke a long scoreless drought for VMI women's soccer and propelled the Keydets past the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs, 2-0, in Big South action Wednesday at Patchin Field in Lexington. It was VMI's first Big South win of the year, and in fact, was the first Keydet win in conference play since Oct. 24, 2010 against Liberty.
With the teams battling in a scoreless tie in the 41st minute, VMI's (3-9, 1-4 Big South) Lizzy Cotter played a long ball into the box. The Gardner-Webb (3-9-1, 1-4 BSC) defense attempted to play the ball out, but Buckley outhustled two GWU players to the ball, retrieved it in the box and tapped it past keeper Amy Schmitt to put VMI up, 1-0. The score broke a program-long run without a goal for VMI as the Keydets had not scored in over 400 minutes of game action. The hustle play, however, seemed to spark the team, as Liz Nickerson made four second half saves and Kristen Whitehurst added an 83rd minute goal to account for the final margin.
The match was relatively even in most statistical categories, with Gardner-Webb holding a 14-11 edge in shots, including 9-6 in the second half. Nickerson's four saves all came in the final 45 minutes as she posted her first Division I victory with the shutout. Schmitt recorded two saves in each half for the visitors.
On a cool, overcast day in Lexington, it was the Keydets who had the first opportunity. Myranda Emery had a quality chance in the 10th minute, but Schmitt made a diving save and pushed the ball just wide of the far post to keep the Keydets off the board.
For the next 20-plus minutes, both teams had possessions, but neither could finish with a shot on goal until the 31:10 mark, when a Sarah Putney header bounced right to Schmitt's feet for an easy save. GWU then countered in the 37th minute. Off a corner kick, they had two shots from 15 yards blocked by Keydet defenders, and a third sailed wide at 37:06. Cotter entered the game just over two minutes later, and it was her long pass that set up Buckley's hustling goal for a 1-0 Keydet halftime lead.
The Keydets had the first shot on goal in the second half as well. In the 57th minute, Allie Segura flicked the ball towards the net through traffic, but Schmitt was able to control the low bouncer. Just over two minutes later, the visitors tested Nickerson for the first time with a low line drive shot from Meagan Reynolds, but the attempt was directly at the VMI keeper for the relatively simple save. Nickerson also stopped Shelby Hooe, GWU's leading scorer, in the 60th minute on a shot from well outside.
The Runnin' Bulldogs continued to press, but a header off a free kick in the 68th minute was wide and a 1 v 4 play by Hooe was blocked in the 74th minute. VMI then added on in the 83rd minute.
Emery took the free kick after a GWU foul, and Schmitt came out to play the long try. The ball got away, however, and was tipped by multiple players before Whitehurst finished it with the five-yard kick, putting VMI up, 2-0. It was Whitehurst's third goal of the season, making her just the seventh first-year Keydet to score at least a trio of goals in a season, and the first to do so since 2008. The score would be all VMI would need, as Nickerson stopped the remaining pair of Gardner-Webb shots to seal the shutout.
“This was a terrific afternoon for soccer, both in terms of the weather and our play today,” said VMI head coach Bryan Williams. “It was tremendous and fun to watch, and somewhat fitting that there was a rainbow in the distance at the end of the game. I'm very proud of the way our players responded to Gardner-Webb's scrappy play today, both with Killian Buckley's first half goal and Kristen Whitehurst's second half score. Killian's goal was pure heart and effort, a goal we've been looking for all season, and it was there today. It really inspired the team the rest of the way. The second goal started with a great service by Myranda Emery, and Kristen Whitehurst finished it off. Kristen continues to show creative and unexpected ways to score. I felt that in the last few minutes, we regained good form and played with technical finesse once again. We've been working on that a lot and it showed up today. Kudos as well to the seven players who played on our back line at some point today, in particular our keeper, Liz Nickerson, who got her first Division I win in shutout fashion. I give credit to Gardner-Webb, as they kept pressing and never let us sit on our lead. We look forward to playing Charleston Southern Friday, but for today, it was great to get this monkey off our back and get this first conference win.”
By winning a Big South game, the Keydets continue a season that has been one of turnarounds. They also have posted their first Division I victory since 2011 (South Carolina St.) and their first two-game winning streak since 2009 at various points this season, to go along with Wednesday's result. The victory assured VMI of no worse than a .500 record at home for the first time since 2009.
VMI women's soccer returns to action Friday, as the Keydets travel to N. Charleston, S.C. to take on Charleston Southern. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m.
