MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Junior
Olivia Howard (Berwick, Maine) scored her third goal of the season, but #7 Middlebury College powered its way to a 6-1 win over Plymouth State University in a non-conference women's soccer game at Dragone Field on Wednesday afternoon.
Coming off a huge win over WestConn, Plymouth State was unable to mount a steady attack against the nationally-ranked Middlebury squad. The hosts scored twice in the opening ten minutes, until Howard put PSU on the board in the 29th minute with her third tally of the year. Middlebury would answer back 11 minutes later, then tacked on three second-half goals to account for the final score.
PSU moves to 4-7-0 on the year, while Middlebury remains unbeaten at 7-0-3.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, #7 Middlebury 6
- Plymouth State (4-7-0)
- Middlebury (7-0-3)
How it Happened:
- Middlebury got on the board in the ninth minute with a turnaround shot from the top of the box. Sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Rowe (Cañon City, Colo.) laid out and got a hand on the shot, but the ball deflected off her outstretched hands and into the net.
- The hosts doubled the lead 91 seconds later when a perfectly played ball allowed a striker to slip behind the defense and touch the ball passed Rowe.
- Plymouth State broke through in the 29th minute on Howard's goal. She applied pressure to force a turnover in Middlebury territory, then received a pass from junior Molly Bellmore (Hebron, Conn.) before making a move around a defender and firing a right-footed shot over the goalie's head to make it 2-1.
- Middlebury restored the two-goal margin in the 40th minute when a well-played ball made its way through traffic. Rowe came off her line to try to cut down the shooting angle, but a quick shot found the far post to make it 3-1.
- The hosts added three second-half goals to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Howard's goal was the first regular season goal for PSU in the all-time series.
- Middlebury held a 12-1 advantage in shots on goal.
- Plymouth State goalkeepers combined for six saves, while Middlebury did not record a save.
- Rowe made two stops in the first half, while sophomore Drea Oswell (Stafford Springs, Conn.) denied six shots in the second half.
- Middlebury holds a 5-0-1 record in head-to-head matchups.
- The Vermont Panthers are ranked #7 in this week's United Soccer Coaches poll.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State returns to Little East Conference (LEC) play on Saturday (Oct. 12) when the Panthers head to VTSU Castleton for a 1:00 p.m. clash with the Spartans.
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