The Lady Wolfpack employed impressive offensive firepower in its home opener at Westfeldt Field against Alcorn State, rattling the Lady Braves’ nets three times as it gunned its way to a first-half lead.
Complicating things, however, was their suspect defense surrendering three goals on the only three shots Alcorn State’s forwards directed on target in the half.
But in the opening minutes of the second half, defender Katy Neville, communications junior, intercepted a weak Alcorn State clearance; she chested the ball down and, on the bounce, cannoned it across the entire penalty area past a flailing keeper – marking the definitive 4-3 score by which the ‘Pack tallied its first win this season.
“I was shocked. It was my first goal ever – I’m a senior, a defender. We just came together at the end,” Neville said of her 20-yard game winner.
“I think they were a bit lucky,” coach David Poggi said. “One goal was a miss-kick from our defender, and it fell on the Alcorn girl’s foot. But they did finish their chances, and you have to credit them there.”
Poggi turned his attention to the strong points of his side’s performance, “The biggest thing was learning to play with a lead. In the second half, when we took the lead, we played a bit more composed.”
Loyola opened hostilities in the 8th minute – midfielder Brenna Kane, political science freshman, controlled a cross, prolonged the play on a flick and found an unmarked Marina Meza. Political science junior Meza coolly tucked the cross away for the 1-0 lead.
Four minutes later, Braves’ Ashley Mitchell equalized on the only shot Loyola had surrendered.
Attacking Alcorn’s goal with a numerical advantage, Kane filtered a pass to midfielder Heather Whitfield, international business sophomore, who then took three touches on the ball, eyed the corner and slotted the 2-1 score.
“That was my first college goal,” Whitfield said. “It felt really good scoring it at home.”
Forward Shelley Robinson, criminal justice freshman, later drew a trip in the Braves’ penalty box. Kane skipped the ensuing spot kick over the despairing keeper to put Loyola up convincingly 3-1.
Alcorn’s Ashley Rankin responded by capitalizing on a mistake by defender Kat Conroy, chemistry sophomore, dispossessing Conroy as she miss-touched the ball turning up field. Rankin conducted the ball uncontested to the small box and nudged it past Loyola keeper Lauren Tarnow.
Rankin tallied another on a backward diagonal cross from Loyola’s right wing, ventilating psychology sophomore Tarnow with a first-touch blast at the 37th minute.
The second half unraveled at a much slower pace, both sides’ defenses settling down and keeping most of the play in front of them and ceding few clear chances. The Lady Braves bogged down the ‘Pack’s first-half attack by employing an offsides trap that baited Loyola’s forwards effectively.
Neville scored the winner in the 66th minute, affording Loyola consolation after a 4-0 rout by Christian Brothers University.
“Our first game was just overwhelming – road trip, first game in two years. This one, we came out with a better focus, and now we just hope to continue growing,” Poggi said.
Ramon Vargas can be reached at [email protected].
