GRANTHAM, Pa. --- The R-MC Women's Soccer team kicked off their NCAA Tournament campaign with a 2-0 win over Haverford on Saturday giving the Jackets their 21st win of the season, setting a new program record. Sophomores Tyria Smalls (Fredericksburg, Va. / Massaponax) and Nicole Czyzewski (Midlothian, Va. / Midlothian) grabbed the goals for the Jackets with assists coming from junior Casey Kent (Fairfax, Va. / Fairfax) and senior Gabby Nelson (Clover, Va. / Halifax County) fresh off her ODAC Player of the Year award. Kent and Bauman led the way for R-MC with four shots and two shots respectively, both recording two shots on goal. The Jackets defense continued their impressive run of form over the course of the season keeping their 15th clean sheet of the season. Sophomore goalkeeper Edye Carr (Clinton, N.C. / Clinton) had an impressive showing in the second half recording six saves to keep the Fords at bay. The Jackets will advance to face #1 Messiah on Sunday.
THE BASICS
Score | Randolph-Macon 2, Haverford 0
Location/Venue | Grantham, Pa. / Shoemaker Field
Records | Randolph-Macon (21-0-1), Haverford (11-6-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED...
- The Jackets started off on the front foot with sophomore Maddie Bauman (Smithfield, Va. / Smithfield) drawing two quickfire saves out of the keeper to apply the pressure. Haverford had three shots, none of which tested senior keeper Christina Newman (Virginia Beach, Va. / Kempsville) before Kent drew another save out of the Fords keeper.
- Newman pulled off her first save of the match before Smalls entered the match in the 25th minute. Just five minutes later she was turning a ball from Kent into the back of the net to give the Jackets the lead for good. This marked Smalls sixth goal of the season and her first career NCAA tournament goal.
- Newman pulled off another save with a few minutes to go to send the Jackets into the half with a one-goal lead.
- Just 41 seconds into the second half Kent drew another save from the Fords keeper as the Jackets continued to force the issue and push the game into the Haverford final third. In the 68th minute Nelson drew a save from the keeper and Czyzewski turned in the rebound to give the Jackets a 2-0 lead that they would see out to the final whistle for her first career NCAA tournament goal.
- In the 72nd minute Carr was called into action after being brought on at halftime. She made four consecutive saves to keep the Fords at bay. Carr made two further saves in the 83rd and 84th minutes that would end the attack from Haverford.
BY THE NUMBERS...
- Czyzewski and Kent led the way with three and four shots, while Kent and Bauman recorded two shots on goal each. Three other Yellow Jackets recorded shots on goal over the course of the match.
- The Yellow Jacket keepers combined to make eight saves over the 90 minutes, for their 15th clean sheet of the season.
- This win marked the 21st win of the season for the Yellow Jackets which is a new program record.
UP NEXT...
Randolph-Macon will face the host and #1 seed Messiah on Sunday the 17th in a 1 PM kickoff to see who advances to the next round of the NCAA Tournament.
--- This release is courtesy of the Randolph-Macon College sports information department. ---
www.rmcathletics.com