NHTI Edges Lady Knights 1-0
Women's Soccer Now 3-3, 1-1
RANDOLPH CENTER, VT -In their second Yankee Small College Conference contest of the year the Knights of Vermont Tech dropped a close contest to the Lynx of NHTI, 1-0.
Both teams took the pitch ready to play, and at the outset Vermont Tech had NHTI on their heels. The Knights controlled the ball for the first few minutes, garnering an early shot at only 2:42. From that moment, however, NHTI began to swing the field in their favor. The visitors ripped off four shots in a row and kept on the offensive pressure. Then, in the 34th minute, Kaleigh Herliby booted one by Vermont Tech Goalkeeper Elise Coolbeth (So./Wolcott, VT) to put the Lynx ahead 1-0. This turned out to be all the cushion NHTI needed, as their defense stifled the Knights, allowing minimal shots and even less real scoring opportunities.
The first half closed with the Lynx up by 1, the game well within reach of the home team. The main concern for the Knights was the shot differential, 11-4 in favor of the visitors. Throughout the game the Lynx held newly crowned USCAA Player of the Week Mallory Fischer (Fr./Jericho, VT) and captain Ashley Lockerby (Sr./Enosburg, VT) to just a combined five shots total, with only one of those being on goal. By the end of the game, the shot differential was 18-8 in favor of NHTI, and the shots on goal a 12-3 advantage.
Coolbeth saved 11 of 12 shots faced, but that one was all the Lynx required to snag the victory. NHTI improved their record to 3-3-2, 1-1-2, while the Knights are now 3-3, 1-1 on the season.
The next contest for Vermont Tech will be against a formidable foe, as the defending USCAA National Champion Lady Bengals of the University of Maine Fort Kent come to Randolph Center. The game is scheduled for home Saturday, September 22nd at 11:00am.
