There was plenty to cheer about at Sports Backers Stadium during the VCU Women’s Soccer match against High Point University. VCU’s offense was shining similarly to the Friday afternoon sun as the Rams steamrolled the Panthers into submission.
Starting Off Hot!!!
Fans in the stands were treated to Black & Gold special just after the opening kick-off. VCU was rewarded a penalty kick in less than 5 minutes after an untimed tackle by High Point. CiCi Fox went the spot to take the PK and Emily Lyon came up with the save for the Panthers to keep the match deadlocked.
In the 7’ minute, Samantha Jerabek scored her first goal of the season for VCU. Jerabek started the sequence with a corner kick that HPU was unable to clear away upfield. Susanna Friedrichs kept possession and spun a stunning assist that was finished by Jerabek with a header on the run. With a 1-0 advantage, Alyssa Tallent was a block away from doubling the Rams’ lead as VCU’s offense continued attacking the goal.
Panthers Kick Back
High Point gained ground with an equalizer in the 21’ minute by Skyler Prillaman. Prillaman settled an HPU cross off her chest at the 18 and squeaked by two VCU defenders. Audrey Sanderson put pressure on Prillaman as the Panther took one more touch before rolling her chance into the far post.
As the 1st half continued, High Point’s defense was consistently under fire by the Rams. Ingrid Brouwer nearly scored in the 29’ and had three strikes in the half. Jerabek and Tallent continued to play at a high level while the Rams as a team kept possession well past the midfield line. HPU came up with responses on offense that were waived off quickly by the assistant referee waving the Panthers offside twice.
Who’s Marking Stahl?!?!
Stephanie Stahl was in the right place at the right time on the cross sent by Amber DiOrio. The VCU freshman out of Bristow served a promising cross that was deflected by a leaping HPU defender in the box. Stahl was left unmarked from seven yards away and sent a header into the bottom left of the net past Lyon.
Cheers and hugs all around were shared as Stahl gave VCU a 2-1 lead just before halftime. VCU had 13 total strikes in the opening 45 minutes of the match. Brouwer and Tallent co-lead the squad with three strikes each.
New Keeper, Same Result
The Panthers made a change in goal and brought in Charlotte Kennedy for the 2nd half. Kennedy was tested two minutes into the match with a strike by Brouwer that Kennedy saved. Emma Kershner nearly got one through however High Point was able to block the strike.
Jerabek collected her second goal of the match at the 50’ minute mark. Karen Lohrmann sent in the Black & Gold cross and Jerabek connected with a header near the 6-yard line into the back of the net. High Point couldn’t catch a break trailing 1-3 and had eyes on a herd of Rams continuing to strike the soccer ball towards goal repeatedly.
Cruising To The W
From Brouwer to Santo and Ito, multiple Rams laced up their boots and kept on shooting. In the 2nd half, VCU delivered 8 corner kicks into High Point’s penalty area. Chances were at VCU’s disposal and the Rams took as many as they could for a full 90 minutes. VCU out struck High Point 29-6 and collected a 3-1 win to improve to 2-1 overall on the season.
VCU Women’s Soccer heads to Iowa for their final match in the month of August. The Rams will take on Northern Iowa on Friday, August 31st in Iowa City.
