Rams remain unbeaten in CAA play

Sophomore striker Solfrid Andersen scored two goals and added an assist as the VCU Women’s soccer team trounced conference rival UNC-Wilmington 4-0 on Saturday evening at Sports Backers Stadium.

The Rams remained unbeaten at home this season, winning their past twelve at Sports Backers Stadium since last October. The win kept VCU in first place in the Colonial Athletic Association going into the toughest stretch of their schedule so far this year.

Andersen put her first goal into the net just 13 minutes into the game. Taking a nicely served ball from midfielder Leigh Anthony, Andersen utilized the offensive abilities of her head instead of her feet, playing the ball into the corner of the net with a quick flick.

The Rams never looked back in this high scoring game, continuing to attack the Seahawks weak defense. Just one minute and ten seconds later, freshman midfielder Shelley Lyle put in one of her two goals of the match.

Taking a pass in the 18-yard box from Andersen, Lyle outwitted UNCW goalkeeper Rachael Wilson and slipped it under her hands into the right corner of the net. It was the quickest combination of goals VCU has scored all season.

Before the end of the half the Rams added 14 more shots and one more goal by Andersen. The prolific scorer received a perfect pass from forward Jen Parsons and was left alone with the goalkeeper.

Advantage Andersen.

Wilson didn’t have a chance as Andersen notched her 10th goal of the season.

After halftime, VCU still controlled the tempo of the game, continuing the dominance on offense while pressuring and attacking the Seahawks’ scoring-minded midfielders and forwards.

The defense, solidified by captain Jennifer Woodie, allowed only three shots before halftime and six after. The defense completely shut down the CAA’s leading scorer, Kristine Mengle, holding her without a shot the entire contest.

Aggravated and unhappy about losing in Richmond, the Seahawks started playing more physically. UNCW defender Whitney Andringa picked up a yellow card in the 52nd minute.

Less than four minutes later, Andringa received her second yellow card and automatic red card, dismissing her from the rest of the game.

The Rams had no problem adding another goal with the one-man advantage. Lyle, continuing a trend of quality freshman play on the Rams, fired a shot from twenty yards in the 64th minute.

The shot went high, lofting over Wilson’s head, before bending back into the net. VCU’s defense didn’t let up the rest of the way.

Two freshman goalkeepers, Lauren Hardison and Emily Niman, shared the shutout for the Rams, Hardison playing almost 70 minutes in the goalkeeper’s box while Niman guarded the last 20 minutes of the game.

Andersen totaled five points in all for the contest, and took over the position of the CAA’s leading scorer with her two goals, tying her with Mengle. Parson’s assist pulled her up to second in the conference in that category.

The Rams travel to Liberty on Tuesday before returning to Sports Backers on Saturday to try to extend their home-unbeaten streak against Longwood College. After these two games, VCU plays four consecutive road games against the CAA’s elite, including James Madison and Towson.