The Lipscomb women’s soccer team found themselves back at Vanderbilt for the Music City Invite on Sunday, where the Bisons played the ACC’s Miami Hurricanes.
The game remained scoreless until the last 10 minutes when Miami took the 1-0 win on a goal from junior midfielder Kristina Fisher in the 82nd minute.
On Friday night, the Lady Bisons (2-1-1) played to a scoreless, double-overtime draw against Ohio before their loss against the Hurricanes (3-1) on Sunday.
The contest was fairly equal and made for a match full of shot opportunities and aggressive defense. The Lady Bisons kept up with Miami’s scoring chances but couldn’t seem to get the ball into the back of the net.
Lipscomb coach Kevin O’Brien said that this wasn’t due to his team’s efforts but rather the skill of Miami’s goalkeeper and defenders.
“I felt that Miam’s goalkeeper kept them in the game, while (Friday) night it was harder to get through Ohio’s back four,” O’Brien said. “The fact that we are creating chances is what I am happy about.”
Locked in a scoreless tie with only 10 minutes left, Miami attempted a few shots on Lipscomb senior goalkeeper Kate Mason. On Miami’s third shot attempt, Fisher slipped the ball past Mason despite the efforts of senior defender Justis Bailey, who nearly saved it.
Lipscomb continued to play with high energy despite the late score. Sophomore defender Kaitlin Echols believes that the encouragement from the sideline helped the team stay motivated after Miami’s late goal.
“We have a ton of support on the sideline, and we all just picked each other up and realized that it wasn’t the end of the time period,” Echols said.
Coach O’Brien said he was proud of the way the team played and that he hopes to continue the momentum throughout the season.
Even though the Lady Bison’s did not leave with a win, they now take their 2-1-1 record into next Friday’s game at Western Kentucky. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Bowling Green.
Photo by Carly Reams