BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College women's soccer team (3-5-2, 2-1 USAS) scored in the first four minutes of action before shutting out the visiting Piedmont University Lions (4-3-3, 1-1 USAS) over the final 86 minutes of action to pull out a big USA South Conference victory on Wednesday evening at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
Junior forward Ashley Royster scored her third goal of the Fall 2021 season, tapping in a Tae Brown pass in just the fourth minute of play. Brown, a native of Mooresville, North Carolina, dished out her third assist of the season on the pass.
Women's Soccer: WATCH Ashley Royster's third goal of the season in the fourth minute of this evening's 1-0 victory over Piedmont University. @BCWS_Tornados proceeded to shut out the Lions through the final 86 minutes of play! #NadoNation #d3wsoc #d3soccer pic.twitter.com/QvsPN96lSX
— Brevard College Athletics (@BCTornados) September 30, 2021
Graduate goalkeeper Rebeccah Rojas earned her first shutout of the season, registering four saves while shutting down the Lion offense for the duration of the contest. Rojas and her starting back line of Channing Barker, Emma White, Abbie Worsencroft, and Autumn Wright were able to shut out the Lions in the pivotal conference contest.
Team statistics were nearly even in the tightly-contested match. The Lions held a one-shot advantage, 7-6, while taking five corner kicks to BC's two. Piedmont used a pair of goalkeepers in the contest who totaled five saves.
Royster's goal came on the first shot attempts for either side, as Brown controlled the ball on the left side of the box, kept it from going out the end line, took a shot attempt that was blocked, and then sent a pass towards the goalmouth that was tapped in by Royster to give the Tornados the early advantage.
BC had a pair of shot attempts after Royster's goal before Piedmont let their first shot fly - an attempt that was saved by Rojas in the 14th minute.
Wright and White each took shot attempts in the 25th and 27th minutes that were saved by Piedmont's Katelyn Smith. Each side took another shot attempt before the intermission, as the Tornados took their one-goal lead into the break.
BC's defense locked down in the second half, allowing just three Piedmont shot attempts, while Rojas made a lone save to turn away Aydni Wimmer. Piedmont's best scoring chance came in the 75th minute when Kaylee King ripped a shot from nearly 30 yards out that hit the top of the crossbar before being booted out of play by the Tornado defense, as Brevard held on for the crucial shutout victory.
BC will look to continue its winning ways on Saturday when the Tornados host Wesleyan College at Ives-Lemel Family Field in a 2 p.m. start time.
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-BC-
