The Lady Bisons soccer team (3-1-1) beat the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders (2-2-0) 3-0 for the first time in eight meetings Thursday night at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex.
Entering the game, Lipscomb was 0-4-3 against MTSU, with a tie last season.
Coming off of two wins against SEC schools in the past three games, the Lady Bisons arrived on the field brimming with confidence.
“[The team] came into the game making sure we did not underestimate the Blue Raiders, ” freshman forward Olivia Doak noted.
Throughout the first third of the game, Lipscomb dominated the time of possession due to speed and numerous steals.
“We have been working on our pressing because we have quick players this year,” Head Coach Kevin O’Brien commented. “This was a good game to try it, and it definitely makes us a more difficult team to face.”
In the 33rd minute, Junior defender Emily Rogers sent a hard ball into the box off of a set piece from the middle of the field. The ball changed possession multiple times in a matter of seconds, eventually leading to a Blue Raiders foul and therefore a Lipscomb penalty kick.
Junior midfielder Natalie DuBoise drove the ball high into the left corner of the goal to take a 1-0 lead.
“I felt very calm when I took the kick,” DuBoise said. “I did my routine and was glad it connected.”
After multiple diving saves by the goalkeepers of both teams, defense prevailed for the remainder of the half, and the Lady Bisons took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The second half opened with strong offensive attacks on both ends, leading to three consecutive possessions with shots on goal for MTSU. However, the Lipscomb back line continued to block shots and get steals, and senior goalkeeper Anna Buhigas made three saves in a row during those possessions.
In the 62nd minute, Emily Rogers threw in a ball down the line to Olivia Doak. Doak then turned and bent the ball with her left foot just inside the left post past the goalkeeper; however, she was called offsides. After a conference between the referees, the offsides penalty was reversed, and the lead was officially extended to 2-0.
As the Blue Raiders turned up the offensive tempo, the Lady Bisons took advantage of a strong counterattack in the 78th minute as Junior midfielder Jade Abarca slipped a pass behind the MTSU back line to senior forward Alesondra Colbert. As the goalkeeper came out to meet her, Colbert crushed the ball to the left side of the goal, extending the Lady Bisons’ lead to 3-0.
With the game coming to a close, MTSU had one last chance for a goal with a PK in the 86th minute. However, Anna Buhigas prevailed again and made the diving stop for the last of her 12 saves for the game.
Buhigas said she read the body of her opponent as she lined up for that last PK.
“It felt really awesome to get that save in the closing minutes,” the senior goalkeeper said. “It means a lot because MTSU has always beaten us, and it was really rewarding to defend so well as a team throughout the game.”
As the Lady Bisons look to the future, Natalie DuBoise said that these recent big wins have resulted in a lot of momentum for the team, adding that it was “encouraging” to play for a team like this year’s.
Women’s soccer looks to continue their early success against Austin Peay on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics