Box score
BANNER ELK, N.C. --- Seniors Vickie Rich
(Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Brooke Santerre (Port Republic, Md.)
each tallied a goal to lead the Lees-McRae College women's soccer
team to a 4-0 win over Erskine College on Wednesday night, as the
Bobcats clinched at least a share of their first Conference
Carolinas regular season championship since the 2000 season.
Lees-McRae (11-2-1, 10-0 CC) honored its 2011 senior class prior
to kickoff, recognizing Rich, Santerre, Mary Gibson
(Hendersonville, Tenn.), Mary Dorn (Shallotte, N.C.), and Jessica
O'Leary (Millbury, Mass.) for their contributions to the women's
soccer program. The Bobcats tied a program-record with their 10th
conference win of the season, while securing the top seed in the
conference tournament for the first time in school history.
The Bobcats outshot Erskine (6-7, 5-5 CC) by a 25-3 margin,
including a 13-1 advantage in the first half, while keeping their
10th clean sheet of the season. Lees-McRae also held a 6-0
advantage in corner kicks on the night.
Rich, Santerre, Meagan Thornton (Millville, N.J.), and Ally
Titsworth (Holmes Beach, Fla.) each found the back of the net for
the Bobcats, while Gibson, Thornton, Kaitlyn Kerrigan (Lakewood
Ranch, Fla.), and LeeAnn Sullivan (Greensboro, N.C.) each tallied
an assist. Freshman Kaitlyn Briggs (Oviedo, Fla.) made two saves
through the first 79 minutes, while Alicia Pierson (Brooksville,
Fla.) kept the Flying Fleet scoreless for the final 12 minutes of
play.
Rich opened the scoring in the 25th minute, breaking the
deadlock off an assist from Thornton with her fifth goal of the
season, sending the Bobcats into the interval with a 1-0 lead.
Santerre doubled the advantage to 2-0 in the 55th minute, taking a
cross from Gibson and looping the finish over the keeper's head and
into the side netting from 20 yards distance.
Thornton pushed the lead to 3-0 midway through the 64th minute,
tying the team-lead with her 10th goal of the season after Kerrigan
and Sullivan combined for a terrific lead pass into the box,
putting Thornton in perfect position to finish from six yards out.
Titsworth capped the scoring in the 83rd minute, beating the final
defender and sending a fantastic finish into the far side netting
for her first collegiate goal.
Lees-McRae returns to the pitch on Saturday when the Bobcats
travel to Hartsville, S.C. to take on Coker College in a conference
matchup at 4:30 p.m. The Bobcats can clinch the outright conference
title with a victory over the Cobras.
- LMC -
