EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Soccer Team (3-8, 2-4 ODAC) made it a perfect week with a 6-1 win over visiting Randolph College (4-7, 1-5 ODAC) Sunday afternoon in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action. The Wasps wore pink jerseys during the game as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
E&H got on the board just 43 seconds into the contest when junior midfielder Emily Belanger (Tampa, Fla.) received a pass along the end line from senior forward Erica Merriman (Cornelius, N.C.) and put it past the goalkeeper. It was the quickest goal for Emory & Henry under Head Coach Linda Schirmeister-Gess.
The Wasps continued to dominate the midfield and kept play on the WildCats' half of the pitch. Merriman made it 2-0 in the 27th minute when Belanger returned the favor, crossing a ball in from the right side that Merriman slotted to the back post.
Emory & Henry added a goal with just 16 seconds to go before the break. Sophomore defender Willow Hubbard's (Asheville, N.C.) strike was saved by the goalkeeper, but not contained and freshman midfielder Kelsey Little (Raleigh, N.C.) was there to put it away for the 3-0 halftime advantage.
The second half was more of the same as the Wasps continued to keep possession and momentum. With 13:28 to go in the contest, senior forward Bethany Myer (Hickory, N.C.) found some open space and went down the center of the field, juked the goalkeeper and easily rolled the ball past the goal line for the score.
Emory & Henry added another goal just 90 seconds later as Myer found the wide open sophomore midfielder Allie Hooper (Cosby, Tenn.) for the score and the 5-0 margin.
Randolph would not go down without a fight. When the Wasps' goalkeeper mishandled a ball on the edge of the box, Brittany Hammons took advantage and put the WildCats on the board 5-1 in the 82nd minute.
E&H added a final goal with 6:10 to go in the contest. It would be Belanger again with the score, taking a pass from freshman Brittany Shampine (Salem, Va.) and striking it to the upper 90 for the score and the final 6-1 margin.
Emory & Henry held a 27-3 shot advantage putting 18 attempts on frame. The Wasps also led 7-2 on corner kicks. The six goals scored by the Wasps against the WildCats were the most since the 2006 season when scored 13 against then-Randolph-Macon Woman's College.
E&H sophomore goalkeeper Vicki Fenley (Chesapeake, Va.) made one save as she earned the win, while Randolph's Quinn-Lynn Bates stopped six shots in 45 minutes despite the loss.
Emory & Henry will remain at home on Wednesday when it hosts Sweet Briar College at Fred Selfe Stadium in a conference match beginning at 7:30 p.m.
---E&H---
-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15