WHEELING, W.Va.--- The Wheeling Jesuit women's soccer team scored two goals in the second half for a 3-1 WVIAC victory over Concord University at James LaRosa Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, WJU improved to 2-4 in league play and 2-7-1 overall while Concord fell to 1-4-1 in the WVIAC and 1-6-2 overall.
The first twenty minutes of play was a hard fought battle by both teams, which set the tone for a physically played match. As the two teams jockeyed for field position, the physical play increased. Wheeling Jesuit outshot the Mountain Lions 9-2 in the first half and held a 3-0 advantage from the corner. In the 35
th minute, Concord broke the 0-0 stalemate as CU's Kari Simon sent a shot into the net.
Concord fought-off Jesuit's offensive pressure until the final minute of the half. In the 44
th minute,
Ashley McGinnis connected with the equalizer from the top left corner of the box after
Melinda Earnest broke free from CU's midfield defenders. The match was tied 1-1 at halftime.
After the break, Wheeling Jesuit and Concord continued to battle. In the 65
th minute,
Morgan Headings recorded her first collegiate goal and what proved to be the game winner.
Jillian Mesaros sent a cross-field pass to Headings, and after collecting the ball with her feet, Headings ripped the 25-yard shot directly into the frame.
With the 2-1 advantage, Jesuit increased the lead when a through ball was misplayed by Concord's keeper. At 86:50, WJU's
Allison Geary who was in pursuit of the free ball played from midfield, made the Mountain Lions pay. Geary flipped the ball away from the keeper, collected her composure and sent a chip shot into the empty net for a two-goal Cardinal advantage.
WJU goalkeepers
Holly Kraus and
Carley Kordas split time in the net. Kraus, who played the initial 45 minutes, collected one save and received the win, while Kordas recorded two saves.
The Cardinals will travel to Cedarville, Ohio on Tuesday, October 2 for a non-conference match against Cedarville University. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
