The Longwood Lancers women's soccer team defeated Tennessee Tech University on Friday, Sept. 9 by a score of 2-1 in overtime. The game was held at the Athletics Complex in Farmville as part of Longwood's Wounded Warrior Weekend. Senior captain Kacie Oliver scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick in the 98th minute as the first overtime period neared completion. Sophomore Kelsey Pardue scored the first goal of the game for Longwood in the 62nd minute.
The Lancers dominated the first half of competition, outshooting the Golden Eagles 12-3. Neither team scored in the first half. Longwood finally broke through with Pardue's goal at 61:52. Pardue had to navigate several defenders before sending the ball into the lower left corner of the net. The 1-0 lead did not last long, as Tennessee Tech's Chelsea Ladd scored in the 74th minute off of a loose ball in front of an empty net. The game went into the first overtime period with the score 1-1.
Longwood's game-winning penalty kick came after a foul in the box when a Golden Eagles player knocked a Lancer to the ground in the 98th minute. Oliver knocked her PK into the upper part of the left side of the net. The goal gave Longwood the 2-1 victory. The victory snapped a four-game winless streak for Longwood. After the game, Oliver talked about the importance of getting a win in front of the home crowd during Wounded Warrior Weekend.
"It meant a lot to finally get a win in overtime," said Oliver. "We were playing for a great cause. We were playing for all the soldiers out there who defend us and who give us the privilege to come out here and do what we love to do. The feeling was unreal."
"I'm happy for the team," said head coach Todd Dyer. "We definitely deserved a positive result in this game. It took us longer than we would have liked. We did it the hard way. Hopefully, this is the start of whatever is next for us."
Dyer also discussed the difficult stretch of overtime games that the team has played in.
"It's just frustrating because we play well against good teams. It all comes down to goals. You don't get points for possession or defending. You have to find a way to finish your chances. All I can do is keep coaching and all the team can do is keep battling."
On Sunday, Sept. 11, the women's team traveled to George Mason University to take on the Patriots. Again, the team played all the way to double-overtime, eventually tying GMU 2-2. Kacie Oliver scored both goals for the Lancers continuing her good play. It was the fifth-straight overtime game for the Lancers. Six of eight games played this season have gone into overtime. The team is 2-3-3 this season. Longwood plays again on Friday night, Sept. 16, hosting in-state opponent Radford University of the Big South Conference at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. First kick is set for 7 p.m.
