Guilford College Sports Report for Saturday September 28, 2024: Women’s Soccer, Wome’s Tennis, and Men’s Soccer and how the Quakes were playing

Women’s Soccer Bested by Lynchburg in ODAC Opener
Quakers come up short in bid for first win in last three chances
from Bryce Johnson, Director of Athletic Communications

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Playing the first game of their Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) slate, the Guilford College women’s soccer team could not get their offense going, falling to the University of Lynchburg, 3-0, at Shellenberger Field on Saturday afternoon.

The first in-league game, for both sides, Guilford drops to 0-1-0 against conference competition, and 5-2-1 overall. The Hornets improve to 1-0-0 versus ODAC opponents and 4-3-1 overall.

Ady Franken (Peoria, Ill.) finished on the hook for the defeat, falling to 5-2-1 after making six saves against three goals allowed. Meredith Bowers went the first 52 minutes of the shutout and got credit for the win to improve to 3-3-0 making one save. Kate Shepherd polished it off over the final 38 making a pair of stops.

Madelyn Boyce, Meghan Lauder, and Leilianis Irigoyen were the Lynchburg goal scorers with Boyce netting the game-winner, her first such tally on the year. Mya Rivera (Parish, Fla.) was the lone Quaker with two shot attempts awarded in the game, including one on net. Zekiah Johnson (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and Ainsley Yates (West End, N.C.) were the other two GC players with a shot that threatened the frame.

Guilford applied pressure early in the match with Rivera getting a clean look with the left foot less than two minutes in, then the team got consecutive corners five minutes later, but the hosts gradually seized command of the matches’ tempo. Following a brief injury timeout, Lynchburg was able to dial up a play on a corner that was taken by Sammie Rogstad. She sent a ball into the box that initially found the head of Claire Lloyd who sent a header from just outside the six-yard box, to the upper corner on the weak side. Franken was able to leap and turn back the shot with her right hand, however, the carom went directly to the feet of Boyce who finished it off, redirecting the ball past the off-balance Franken to claim the advantage in the 18th minute.

The Hornets struck again in the 21st minute of play. A foul by Yates, who transferred to GC after playing for the UofL a season ago, granted the home squad a free kick in Guilford’s defensive zone. On the set piece, Rogstad sent the ball into the box that Franken wisely, aggressively came out to make a play on. However, in the traffic, she collided with her own teammate right at the point of the catch, jarring the ball loose and free, dribbling into the box where Lauder tapped it in.

Lynchburg restricted the Quakers to just three total shots in the first half of play, only one of them on goal, with the only two corners coming in the matches’ first eight minutes. Meanwhile, the hosts attempted eight shots with five on frame, and received six corners.

The Hornets extended the lead in the 48th minute as they controlled possession off a GC goal kick. Irigoyen collected, made a run down the center of the pitch, battled through contact and sent a left-footed shot into the upper-left 90 to extend the advantage.

Guilford got a couple of shots on goal down the stretch, but UofL maintained the score, bringing it to a 3-0 final.

Guilford returns to the pitch, making the short trip up to Hollins University on Wednesday for a match kicking off at 3:00 PM.

#GoQuakes

Doubles Sweep Highlights Women’s Tennis Victory Over Winston-Salem State
Quakers drop just one matchup in win over Division-II foe
from Bryce Johnson, Director of Athletic Communications

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Dropping just a single game at the McMillian Courts, the Guilford College women’s tennis team rolled past Division-II Winston-Salem State University, 6-1, on Saturday afternoon.

With the win, the Quakers improve to 2-1 in duals action this fall. Playing their first match of the season, WSSU falls to 0-1.

Surging in front, GC grabbed the first point by taking all three matches in doubles. In the top matchup, they needed an extra point, but Ashley Belnap (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and Erika Mendez (Asheville, N.C.) slipped past Semmie Moore and Iyana Nickens, 7-5. In #2 doubles, Jolie Nhouyvanisvong (Greensboro, N.C.) and Chandler Sizemore (Sandy Ridge, N.C.) bested Brooke Higgins and Kyla Burns, 6-4. Amy Soto Salgado (Conover, N.C.) and LaNiya Ward (Pittsburgh, Pa.) completed the sweep in the third flight over Briana Drew and Dezirae Black-Macon, 6-2.

Building on the momentum they built in doubles action, Guilford claimed all but one point in singles. Belnap did drop the top flight in a long one to Moore, 6-7, 6-1, 13-11. It was all GC, however, the rest of the way down the box score. Mendez permitted Higgins just a single point in the #2 matchup, winning 6-0, 6-1. Nhouyvanisvong beat Burns in #3 singles, 6-2, 6-3. In the #4 matchup, Sizemore took care of Nickens, 6-2, 6-1. Soto Salgado claimed the fifth flight win, 7-5, 6-0 over Drew. Finally, in the #6 matchup, Bethany Lupo (Tabor City, N.C.) defeated Black-Macon, 6-4, 6-0.

The women’s tennis team competes in their second tournament of the fall next, traveling to play in the Methodist Tournament, hosted by Methodist University next weekend. Action for the three-day event begins on Friday.

#GoQuakes

Men’s Soccer Defeated by Washington & Lee
Generals’ persistent offensive pressure proved challenging for Quakers in defeat

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Blue and white’s dominance was brought to light as the Guilford College men’s soccer team was upended by Washington & Lee University, 6-0 at Appenzeller Field at the Armfield Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Quakers leave the match with a 3-5-0, record, 0-2-0 in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play, while the Generals stand at a 5-3-0 record 2-0-0 against conference competition.

Chris Kelly (Lexington, N.C.) now stands at a 1-4-0 as the goalie of record for the Quakers after making ten saves against six goals allowed. Whereas Will Joseph advances to 5-3-0 for the Generals after making one save in 63 minutes and change of shutout soccer.

GC hit a rough spot in the first half thanks to a goal from PJ Ryan in the ninth minute of the game. Leading up to this, W&L applied pressure with a cross by Dmitiri Tulloch from the left side of the box, to the right. A header by Spencer Furman was followed by a shot from Ryan, aimed for the bottom center, that found the twine to take the lead.

The next goal from the Generals belonged to Buster Couhig just two minutes later. During the sequence, teammate Furman took a shot at the bottom center, which was rebounded by Couhig, who attempted to score again in the same spot. Determined, Couhig persisted and eventually found the back of the net, with an assist from Lucas Pleasants.

Goal three was in the hands of Weyim Agbeyegbe as he scored in the 15th minute and was assisted by Jenkins.

W&L owed their goal in the 22nd minute to Pleasants, with an assist from Willy Hall which noticeably started the snowball of the Quaker defense despite their efforts.

Although there were Quaker substitutions to disrupt the General’s offense, the goal by Paul Collins that was assisted by Trian Kechagias kept the momentum in Washington & Lee’s hands.

At the half, the Quakers shuffled the lineup to get the ball rolling with players like Saeed Saavedra (Mount Airy, N.C.), Riley Copeland (West End, N.C.), Lucas Wheeler (Locust, N.C.), and Ken Vasquez (Pittboro, N.C.). The final goal of the match occurred in the second half of play due to Couhig, his second one of the day at 47:15.

Chris Hercules (Greensboro, N.C.) and Copeland each had shots on goal at the end of the game, with Copeland’s being an especially good look, but it was no match for W&L as they defeated GC, 6-0.

Guilford travels to Virginia Wesleyan University to continue ODAC play on Wednesday, October 2nd. Kickoff is anticipated for 6 P.M.

#GoQuakes

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