Longwood’s 2024 women’s soccer season is in full swing and with it has come a tough non-conference schedule. While being tested, the Lancers prepared for Big South play with a rigorous schedule that included the likes of Liberty and Appalachian State.
Despite the challenges, Longwood athletes have stepped up to prepare and compete for conference glory.
Longwood’s season began on August 18 with a narrow 1-0 loss to Loyola Maryland at home. Despite peppering the Loyola goal with 8 shots on target, the Lancers were unable to break down the Greyhound defense. A goal in the dying minutes of the game would see the Lancers drop their first match of the new season. The Lancers were then on the road for a clash with the University of Richmond, where a first half double from the Spiders would signal another loss for Longwood, 2-0.
The Lancers would then find their scoring form in a 2-2 tie on the road against Western Carolina.
Appalachian State was next on the list for Longwood’s run of six consecutive away matches. The Mountaineers scored two first half goals and were able to hold onto the 2-0 lead against the Lancers’ best efforts. The next game would be a road game against in-state rivals Liberty. Longwood never got a foothold in that game and lost 3-0. Davidson and Old Dominion would follow, both resulting in 2-0 losses.
After the exceptionally difficult six game road stand, Longwood came back to Farmville to take on fellow Virginia school Hampton University on Sept. 10. After a tight first half, the Lancers exploded for three goals in the second half courtesy of Karleigh Minson, Sydney Robertson and Peyton Curney. Head Coach Todd Dyer, who has been at the helm of the program for 31 years, got his first win of the season, 3-0.
“Their resilience up to this point in the season has been amazing,” Dyer said.
The relief was clear to see on the faces of the Longwood players after the banner second half. “Some of the results we’ve had as a team haven’t been what we wanted or in our favor,” said Robertson. “We were able to overcome adversity and not play with our heads down and keep fighting and fighting to get the result we deserve,” Robertson added.
The Lancers faced off against Howard two days after the Hampton triumph. Unfortunately for the home fans, Howard shot out of a cannon to begin the game and scored two early goals.
When the game came back from halftime the Lancers looked like a completely different team once again. The ball was consistently in the Howard half of the field and their efforts finally paid off when striker Sara Kate George and midfielder Coryn Silberstein scored only a few minutes apart. The game ended 2-2.
They would end their non-conference schedule with a 2-1 loss against UMBC, though a loss with standout performances from goalkeepers Sara Curtis and Sadie Kerns.
Through a handful of defensive injuries that has caused a lot of Longwood players to play out of position, combined with the tough schedule to start the season, the Longwood women’s soccer team is preaching resilience and hard work before Big South play kicks off. “What we need to stop doing is waiting for bad things to happen to us before we start playing hard,” said Dyer.
Averaging at just under .500 for the past five seasons, the Lancers are looking to their conference schedule to capitalize on a new season.
The Longwood Women's Soccer Team prepares to take on Hampton University, Sept. 10
