GREENWOOD – A 12th-minute goal and customary defense was just what the No. 20 Lander women's soccer team needed to claim a 1-0 season-opening victory at
Van Taylor Stadium Thursday night over the visiting Anderson Trojans.
Angele Hills' return to game-action was a welcome sight for the Bearcats, and she had the ball at her feet most of the night. Hills put four shots on goal and connected on a spectacular score 11:14 into the match.
Langley Stewart started the play after a nice recovery in the Bearcats' defensive zone and flipped it ahead to
Ansley Morrell down the right side of the pitch.
Morrell tapped it back to Hills who split two defenders with nimble, spinning footwork before using her left foot to tuck one underneath the crossbar from outside the 18-yard box. Hills had another great scoring chance in the 17th minute that was saved by the Trojans' Aliyah Morgan.
Rylee King saw Hills' goal and nearly one-upped her teammate in the sensational department in the 28th minute. King stopped an Anderson push with a textbook tackle, gathered the ball and put one on from 35 yards out but Morgan pushed it over the crossbar.
Another almost-goal for LU came off the left foot of
Paige Bailey with 12 minutes to play in the match. Bailey moved in after receiving a pass from
Peyton Bibbee and struck the inside of the left post.
The Bearcats allowed just one shot on goal all night and six shots total. They'll next head to Greeneville, Tennessee, for a road contest with the Tusculum Pioneers on Saturday, Aug. 29. Kick-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
