Box Score OWENSBORO, Ky. — Campbellsville women's soccer traveled to Kentucky Wesleyan College on the first day of fall break for CU. The Lady Tigers used a fast start to outplay the Lady Panthers and come away with their eighth win of the year, 2-1.
Campbellsville applied pressure to KWC from the get-go. The Lady Tigers led in the first 20 minutes of the game with five shots compared to Kentucky Wesleyan's two. CU finally picked up its first goal with the one-two senior punch in Bailey McDonough and Jessica Ralph.
Campbellsville was awarded a corner kick in the 23rd minute and McDonough placed a perfect ball in the box where Ralph, an Ownsboro native, used her athleticism to jump over the Lady Panther defense and head in her team-leading 10th goal on the year.
The last 22 minutes of the first half went pretty even as both teams could not capitalize on opportunities from their offensive attacks. CU recorded three more shots on goal during the first period but goalkeeper Kathryn Dishion came up with saves to keep the match at 1-0 in favor of CU.
The second half played much like the first. Both teams had 11 shots in the period and recorded one goal apiece.
The Lady Tigers added an insurance goal in the 77th minute as Chelsea Gill dribbled down the wing and crossed the ball into the box where fellow freshman Sam Sandidge was able to put CU up 2-0. The eventual difference maker is her first career game-winning goal.
Coach Thom Jones was sure glad to see his Lady Tigers take the 2-0 lead as the next play, CU's Hannah Harris and Kentucky Wesleyan's Katlyn Duke got tangled up and Harris was awarded a red card, therefore being ejected from the game. Duke received a yellow card.
After Harris exited, CU had to play a man down and KWC took full advantage and scored just two minutes later to cut Campbellsville's lead in half, 2-1.
After the goal by Penni Pluimer, KWC started to apply pressure to the Campbellsville defense, but the Lady Tigers held their ground.
The defense for CU has come up big all season and has only allowed 15 goals; and five came in one game against Lindsey Wilson College.
Brandie Hagerman recorded three of her nine saves in the final six minutes of the match to give CU its second win of the season over an NCAA Division II opponent.
"We played great the second half," said Jones. "They scored the late goal after Hannah was ejected but besides that we played well enough to win."
The Lady Tigers will still be on the road for their next two games against Mid-South Conference foes, Shawnee State University and St. Catherine College. Harris who has started every game for the Lady Tigers so far this season will have to sit against the Lady Bears. Campbellsville's lineup has already been depleted this year as Hannah Cox is out with a season-ending injury and starting defensemen Alex Shaffer has been out since Sept. 25 with a back injury.
"I feel like our bench is going to have to step up," said Jones. "But I have all the confidence in the world in them and our depth."
Campbellsville (8-3-1) will kickoff against Shawnee State (7-5-1) on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available and links will be updated on Campbellsvilletigers.com
To follow all CU Women's Soccer stats, scores and updates, check them out on twitter @CUWSTiger. Also follow Campbellsville University @CvilleTigers.
Box Score/ Play-by-Play
