By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Early goals in each half proved the difference for App State vs. Davidson women’s soccer on Aug. 21 at Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex. The lightning delayed contest resulted in a 2-0 win by the Mountaineers, taking them to 3-0 on the young season for the best start to a fall campaign since 1999.
Less than four minutes into the game, graduate forward Izzy Wood gathered the ball on the right side, then pushed a pass to the center, just outside the penalty box, where teammate Ellie Garrison was sprinting up the middle. Dashing with the ball between two Davidson defenders, Garrison slipped the ball between the goalkeeper Allie Moore’s legs and it skipped skipped along the turf and into the net for the game’s first goal.
The in-state adversaries battled evenly for the rest of the half, although the Wildcats had to be turned away several times by the Mountaineers’ stout defensive play. Davidson took eight shots in the first half, compared to just three by App State. In addition, the visitors held a 6-1 advantage in corner kick opportunities. They just couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities.
App State seemed to come out of halftime with a different agenda, including doing a better job of controlling possession and manufacturing more shot opportunities. They outshot the Wildcats, 9-6, in the second half. The intensified attack produced a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks.
One of the early second-half corner kick opportunities produced the Mountaineers’ second goal. From the right corner, forward Kyli Switalski looped a high corner kick toward the front of the goal, soaring over the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Grace Stair — curling under the crossbar, just inside the far left post for the Mountaineers second goal.
The rest of the half produced few meaningful counterattacks, with disruptive defensive play from both teams.
With the win, the Mountaineers move to 3-0, the best start to a season since 1999, and they have come against Western Carolina (the top-ranked team in the Southern Conference); University of Miami (Fla.), a member of the “Power Four” Atlantic Coast Conference; and Davidson, a strong competitor in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Before starting Sun Belt Conference play against Old Dominion on Sept. 13, in Norfolk, Va., the Mountaineers have four more non-conference matchups, beginning with William & Mary on the road, Aug. 24; at Clemson, another ACC opponent, a week later (Aug. 31); home against East Carolina (American Athletic Conference) on Sept. 4; then back on the road Sept. 7 for a test at Longwood (Farmville, Va.).
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