NEW CASTLE, Del. - Freshman striker
Alexandra Smith scored two goals in the second half to lead the Goldey-Beacom College women's soccer team to a 2-1 road victory over crosstown rival Wilmington University on Tues. afternoon at Kirkwood Soccer Complex.
The Lightning improved to 5-5 overall and 4-4 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference while Wilmington fell to 3-9 overall, and 2-6 in league play. This marked the first GBC win over its in-state rival since 2008, and it catapults the Lightning into a four-way tie for sixth place in the conference standings with four conference games left to be played.
After a scoreless first half, Smith gave the Lightning a 1-0 advantage less than two minutes into the second stanza. Taking off from midfield, the nation's third-leading goal scorer rushed past two Wilmington defenders and beat Wildcat goalkeeper Amanda Walters to the bottom left corner of the net to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.
Approximately 15 minutes later, Smith added what would prove to be a pivotal insurance goal as she took a thru pass from redshirt-sophomore
Danielle Semenza and scored from 25 yards out to put her team up, 2-0 in the 62nd minute. Smith is now tied with April Yanacek for second-place on the school's single-season goals list with 13, and the Lightning, as a team, have scored as many goals thus far this season as they did all of last year (22).
With just over four minutes left in regulation, a Lightning defender committed a foul inside the box and the Wildcats were awarded a penalty kick. Wilmington's Penelope Fantis scored to make it a one-goal game, but GBC hung on for the 2-1 win.
Wilmington had a 18-13 shot advantage and doubled up the Lightning 4-2 in corner kicks, but the Lightning had no shortage of scoring opportunities throughout the day as they used crisp passing and great ball pressure to create offense. Senior goalkeeper
Kristin Degenhardt made seven saves in 90 minutes of work to earn the victory.
The Lightning, who have more wins this season than the past two years combined, will next take on second-place Felician College (7-4-1, 6-2 CACC) in East Rutherford, N.J. on Sat. at 5:30 p.m. GBC is seeking its first win over Felician since Oct. 14, 2006.
