The Charlotte Lady Eagles extended their unbeaten streak to six tonight with a 3-0 win over the Hampton Roads Piranhas.
Hampton Roads Piranhas Match Report:
(Virginia Beach , VA) - Charlotte players Christy Rife, Deanna Bath, and Kelly Schmedes quickly silenced the Hampton Roads W-League Piranhas and the many Fish fans who came to the final home game of the 2007 campaign, by scoring a goal each in the opening 15 minutes. The Lady Eagles then used the early cushion to cruise past the home side 3-0 on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College Saturday night.
The Piranhas (2-7-1, 7 points) entered Saturday's match hoping to contain the multi-faceted attack of the Charlotte Lady Eagles that dropped a four goal run in 46 minutes of action just three weeks earlier in North Carolina.
Missing Tiffany Azzarito, Wendy Kotwas, and Danielle Walsh on the defensive end, Hampton Roads found it difficult to contain the Lady Eagles, especially in the first half.
Rife provided the match winner for the visiting Lady Eagles (7-2-1, 22 pts) in the 3 rd minute of play - a minute after Piranhas midfielder Lisa McKenzie slammed a 21-yard shot high and right of the frame. With a right side cross from striker Darcel Mollon Rife placed a right footer into the net to give Charlotte the third minute edge.
Five minutes after the go-ahead goal, it was Bath who found the net. After the Piranhas cleared a ball after a Charlotte corner, Lydia Vandenbergh (midfield) found a wide-open Bath on a shorter cross; the Charlotte defender then two-touched it into the goal.
With six additional saves in the first half, Piranha goalkeeper Kristy Brown certainly had her hands full on Foster Field as the Lady Eagles out-shot the Piranhas 8-3 in the first half (14-9 total). Brown made an incredible stop in the 11 th minute after Mollon beat an early offside trap by the Piranhas and appeared set on extending the lead to three.
Brown redirected Mollon away from the goal allowing enough time for the Hampton Roads defenders to take position and force Mollon into making a less desirable shot. Brown quickly jumped on the attempt to the delight of the Piranhas faithful in the stands.
That excitement was short-lived as Schmedes finished off a three-headed Lady Eagle attack just four minutes later. Cobb cleared a Lady Eagle shot off the line, then Brown had to make a stop on a second attempt from close range but could not control the ball and Schmedes tapped in the second follow.
Charlotte 's attack continued to beat down on the Piranhas over the remaining half-hour of the opening period but the defense eventually corrected itself, preventing another Lady Eagle strike.
Brown gave the Piranhas some much-needed confidence as the second half began, denying two opportunities for Mollon off crosses from opposite sides of the pitch.
From that point, the Lady Eagle attacked began to level and both teams utilized their reserves including local college keepers Colby Owen and Lindsey Williams who saw action for Hampton Roads.
The Piranhas best chance at putting a goal on the board Saturday came in the 73 rd minute after a Charlotte foul 30 yards from their goal. Lisa McKenzie lined up and fired a bullet that headed for the upper portion of the goal before Forbis pushed it over the bar for a corner.
Hampton Roads' W-League side will conclude its season one week from Saturday, traveling to Richmond to take on the Destiny at 6 p.m. at Sports Backers Stadium. For more information on the Hampton Roads Piranhas, call 757-572-1592 or visit hrpiranhas.com
