ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Traveling to Florida with a fresh No. 15 ranking in tow, the Lander women's soccer team played to a scoreless draw with Flagler at Saints Field on Wednesday afternoon.
The Bearcats did have to survive a late scare with 30 ticks left. A Saints player headed a kick from the Flagler keeper past midfield which set up Phoebe Davidson deep in the Saints' offensive half. Davidson chipped a pass in and as it was headed toward the net,
Maddie Leber recovered miraculously, sliding to clear it off the line to preserve the Bearcats' seventh shutout.
Leah Hayes Coen collected her sixth clean sheet of the year as a result and the 28th of her career to move into a second-place tie for the most career shutouts in PBC history.
It was even throughout as Flagler (2-4-2, 2-1-1 PBC) slightly edged Lander (5-0-2, 0-0-1 PBC) in shots, 11-10. The Bearcats had more on target (four) than the Saints' two.
Paige Bailey had two of the Bearcats' best scoring chances, the first coming in the 24th minute as
Langley Stewart placed a perfect pass in front of Bailey on a run down the left wing. Bailey was left alone with Irina Barron-Gomez who made the save.
Bailey was again faced with a 1-on-1 encounter with Barron-Gomez late in the 70th minute when she shook a Flagler defender just outside the box. Barron-Gomez denied that point-blank shot as well.
Lander stays on the road this weekend to take on No. 17 North Georgia in Dahlonega Saturday. The scheduled kick-off time is 1 p.m.
