Rivera’s Strike Grants Women’s Soccer Homecoming Draw With Randolph-Macon
Sophomore scores second of year in breakeven contest
from Bryce Johnson, Director of Athletic Communications
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Striking with a swift swing of her left foot in the 70th minute, Mya Rivera (Parish, Fla.) netted her second goal of the season, bringing the score to a 1-1 result between the Guilford College women’s soccer team and Randolph-Macon College in the Homecoming weekend nightcap on Saturday at Appenzeller Field.
Facing a fellow Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponent, but doing so in a non-conference contest, GC now moves to 5-1-1 on the season, and while they could not claim their first win over R-MC since 2011, they did claim their second-straight draw against their in-league rivals. The Yellow Jackets, meanwhile, advance to 3-1-2.
Neither keeper was really at fault in this one, with both goals scored being near un-savable shots. Ady Franken (Peoria, Ill.) got the nod in net once again for the Quakers, making three stops against a goal allowed to see her record go to 5-1-1. Zoe Long started for the guests and moved to 2-0-1 after making four stops against one goal allowed.
In what was a defensive bout, Rivera and R-MC’s Lauren Brokaw were the goal scorers with no assists awarded on the night. Rivera had two shots on frame with Carmen Ellis (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Jenna Shotton (Walnut Cove, N.C.) each having a shot on goal for the home team. Lora Bertram had two shots that threatened the twine for the guests.
The Yellow Jackets got the game’s first scoring chance, drawing a foul that was placed directly on the 25-yard line of the football field on the right wing. Off of it, instead of trying a set-piece, Brokaw just went for it all tucking a magnificent left-footed shot into the upper-left ’90 for her fifth score of the season in the 23rd minute.
Each side had two shots on goal in the half with that free kick being the only true scoring opportunity and that trend would continue in the second half.
Guilford answered in the 70th minute. Gaining possession around midfield, Rivera navigated the pitch herself before noticing the Yellow Jacket keeper off her line, and granting the forward a shooting lane that she took moving to her left from about 34-yards away off the left post, tucking into the top-left shelf for the score.
There would be one final scoring chance, for R-MC late, as a couple of misplays opened an opportunity deep in their box. The ball pinballed around loosely before finding the foot of Bertram from inside the ‘8, but Franken dove to her right to deflect the shot away and preserve the breakeven final score of, 1-1.
The Quakers have one final tune-up before ODAC play, a battle at Warren Wilson College on Wednesday, September 25th at 5:00 PM.
#GoQuakes
Volleyball Battles Hard but Falls Short to Bridgewater in Straight Sets
The Eagles’ victory in straight sets at home against the Quakers despite a second-set battle
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Natalie Moore (Talbott, Tenn.) and Chrisbel Alcantara (San Juan, P.R.) tied as statistical leaders in kills as the Guilford College volleyball team was defeated by Bridgewater College, 3-0 (16-25, 21-25, 14-25) on Jack Jensen Court in the Ragan-Brown Field House on Saturday morning.
Guilford ends the day with a 3-9 record while Bridgewater departs with a 12-2 record.
Key contributors for the Quakers were Moore and Alcantara, each recording six kills, with Moore also adding eight digs, Madison Bozarth (Greensboro, N.C.) with 13 digs, and Maddi Page (Jonesboro, Ga.) finished the day with 16 assists paired with nine digs.
Stat leaders for the Eagles were Reagan Stoop who had a double-double performance with 13 kills and 11 digs, Ashley Ruthford who finished with nine digs and game-high 19 assists, and Faith DePew who garnered seven kills.
Kills from Page and Angel Brown (Mount Pleasant, Mich.) got the Quakers off to a strong start, but the Eagles responded with a 5-0 run to extend their lead. A combination of attacking errors, service aces, and kills by Vanessa Johnson (Charlotte, N.C.) and Moore helped GC even the score at 9-9 with BC. Bridgewater answered with a 10-0 run with an impact from Stoop, Gabby Atwell, and Rachael Meyers. Johnson and Alcantara scored two-consecutive points right before the Eagles won the set, 25-14.
In the second set, the score wavered back-and-forth between Guilford and Bridgewater then Page, Moore, and Brown got the Quakers in the groove to make the score 10-7. Back-to-back kills from Alcantara gave Guilford a spark to extend it to 13-9. It was not until attacking errors, Stoop, and DePew created a shift in momentum that advanced the lead to 19-18. Johnson and Alcantara were back at it again until the Eagles sealed the deal, winning the set with a score of 25-21.
DePew and company dominated the final set, with DePew recording four kills in this set alone. BC went on an 11-1 run before GC capitalized on some Eagles’ errors. Haley Pasour (Winterville, N.C.) made her collegiate debut against Bridgewater, while Aleigh Williams (Walnut Cove, N.C.) made her first appearance of the season. Despite Moore contributing one of her six kills late in the match, Bridgewater secured the set 25-14, completing the sweep.
The next game for Guilford is at home on Jack Jensen Court in the Ragan-Brown Field House on Monday Sept. 23rd against Warren Wilson.
Cross Country Goes the Distance in the Yeti Invitational
Men factor in team standings for the first time since 2021
SHELBY, N.C. – The Guilford College men’s and women’s cross country teams took the course in the Yeti Invitational hosted by Cleveland Community College on Saturday morning. The men’s team placed sixth as a team in the competition; meanwhile, the women’s team did not place in this meet to register a team score. This is the first time since Sept. 3, 2021 that the men factored in team results at a meet.
In the men’s competition, it was Kendel Lowe (Winston-Salem, N.C.) who was the top Quaker finisher. He posted a 34:29.0 time on the 8K men’s course to finish 22nd. Trent Torain (Durham, N.C.) followed in 25th with a time of 35:57.1 with fellow teammate, Jeremy Harway (Apex, N.C.), five spots behind with a 36:29.8 mark. JC Yañez (Thomasville, N.C.) finished with a time of 44:54 placing 42nd.
Piper Campbell (Wilmington, N.C.) completed the 5K women’s race with a time of 23:37.7, placing 10th overall as Guilford’s top finisher. Natalie Viera (Winston-Salem, N.C.) one place behind posting a 23:43.2 mark to finish 11th. In 19th place was Bess Parnell (Cairo, Egypt) posting a 26:25.8 time.
Cross country’s next test is at Livingstone College’s campus, Friday October 11th, to compete in the Livingstone XC Challenge. Start time and meet details have yet to be released.
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