The A-B Women's Soccer team suffered another tough loss Wednesday, a 1-0 setback to the host Lady Senators of Davis and Elkins College. With the loss the Lady Battlers fall to 1-2-1 Overall and 0-2-1 in WVIAC play.

D&E Midfielder Megan Beal broke a scoreless tie with a perfectly placed outside shot in the 80th minute. Beal would take a pass on the left side from Midfield Luci Legaspi, turn and place a left footed shot into the upper right corner for the game winner.

Excluding the goal, the game was a tightly contested battle between the two teams. D&E held a 12-7 advantage on shots and place three shots on goal compared to the two from A-B.

The Lady Battlers got their best chance in the final minutes of the opening half as they got back to back corner kicks, but they were unable to put a solid shot on frame.

Then with time running down Midfielder Gwen Brand (Fr., Kingwood, WV) just narrowly missed with her header off a Lizzy Turner (Fr., Fairmont, WV) cross from the left corner.

Alderson -Broaddus has a short layoff as they play host to non conference foe WVU - Tech on Saturday. This will be a doubleheader with both the Men's and Women's teams taking on WVU-Tech. The Women's match is slated to kickoff at 1pm, with the men schedule to start at 3pm.

Freshman Kate Laird Named WVIAC Player of the Week

Freshman Guard Kate Laird has been named the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Week for the week of September 14.

Laird, a former Morgantown HS standout, recorded nine saves as Alderson-Broaddus recorded a 0-0 tie at defending WVIAC champion West Virginia Wesleyan.The tie marked the first WVIAC standings point taken from WVWC in a Bobcat home contest since 2007.

Lady Battlers Fall to Concord in OT

The A-B College Women's Soccer team had a huge upset slip through their fingers in the final minutes on Friday, Sept. 4 as they fell to perennial WVIAC power Concord (3-1, 1-0) 3-2 in overtime.

The Lady Battlers (1-1, 0-1) would strike first as Gwen Brand (Fr., Kingwood, WV) would chip the CU Goalie from 30 yards out to gain the 1-0 lead just seven minutes in. Both teams would have a couple of good scoring chances in the opening half, but A-B would take the 1-0 lead into the break.

The score would stay that way until the 57th minute, as 1st Team All WVIAC Forward Gemma Nortcliffe would break free from the A-B back four and beat GK Kate Laird (Fr., Morgantown, WV) to knot the game at 1-1.

Forward Kasie Shoemaker would give the Battlers the lead in the 78th minute as she would race down the right wing and then float a perfect ball just inside the left post for her third goal of the season, giving A-B a 2-1 lead.

Then with 1:10 left to go, Forward Lindsey DeVaughn would come off the bench for CU to send the game into overtime with a chip over the GK Laird into the left side netting.

Concord would end any hopes of an upset as Nortcliffe would out- muscle Defender Megan Johnson (Fr., Charleston, WV) and bury the game winner just under seven minutes into the first overtime.

Both teams would finish with 15 shots, while CU would hold a 11-9 advantage on shots on goal. Each team would have six corner kicks a piece.

Laird would come up big with eight saves, while her counter part Kacey Hildebrand would stop seven battler scoring opportunities.

The Lady Battlers will look to rebound as they travel to Buckhannon, WV Thursday, Sept. 10 to take on back-to-back WVIAC champions WV Wesleyan. Kickoff is set for 7pm.

A-B Women's Soccer Wins Season Opener

(Beckley, WV)--- The Alderson-Broaddus College Women's Soccer Team opened their second season in a huge way with an 8-0 win over host Mountain State on Saturday. The Lady Battlers got two goals a piece from Freshmen Gwen Brand, Jenny Perry and Kasie Shoemaker and a goal each from Kaitlyn Mahoney and Brittany Messer.

Lady Battlers Chosen 8th in WVIAC Pre-Season Poll

as reported on www.wviac.org

8/18/2009

(PRINCETON, W.Va.)---Two-time defending champion West Virginia Wesleyan is the overwhelming choice to capture the 2009 WVIAC women's soccer title. The Lady 'Cats earned seven of the nine first place votes cast by league coaches in the annual pre-season poll.

Concord, which finished second in the WVIAC regular season and tournament in 2008, captured a pair of first place votes and ended up second in the poll. Wheeling Jesuit, Davis & Elkins, and Charleston round out the top half of the poll. Seton Hill and Shepherd hold down the sixth and seventh spots. Alderson-Broaddus and Pitt Johnstown tied for eighth, while Ohio Valley completes the poll in tenth. Salem International is not eligible for this season's WVIAC title.

West Virginia Wesleyan (15-3-1, 10-0) returns nine starters from a squad that climbed as high as fifth nationally last season. Head coach Glenn Francis' club will be strong in goal with sophomore Caroline Lally, who posted a 0.65 goals against average last season. WVWC also welcomes back 2007 starter Lauren Hessian. Midfielders Meghan Zayas and Hannah Macmoric were 2008 first team all-conference picks. Alanna Torrey, an All-WVIAC selection last season, heads up a group of defenders with 137 games of composite starting experience.

Concord (12-8-1, 9-1) also welcomes back nine starters from a club that pushed Wesleyan into a scoreless shootout during the 2008 WVIAC Tournament title game. Junior forward Gemma Nortcliffe was second in the WVIAC with 21 goals last season. First team all-league performers Katie Cuviello and Terri Donnelly are also back on hand for Carol Bonnes' Lady Lions.

Wheeling Jesuit (6-12, 5-4) fell out of contenion for the conference title last season, but the tradition-rich Cardinals are forecast to return near the top of the table in 2009. WJU welcomes back their leading scorers from last season in Kara Houston (12 g, 3a) and all-conference midfielder Jessica Park (6g, 5a).

Davis & Elkins (11-8, 7-3) will rely on high-scoring junior Cole Dant, who has netted 55 goals in two seasons as a Senator. D&E also returns second team All-WVIAC goalkeeper Jackie Krum and forward Bonnie Little. Little contributed eight goals and six assists of her to the WVIAC's highest scoring attack in 2008.

Charleston (10-10, 8-2) must replace all-region defender Bailey Bryant, but the Golden Eagles return much of a squad that was in thick of the WVIAC championship hunt during the 2008 regular season. Senior keeper Whitney Sharp ranked among the conference leaders in goals against average.

Seton Hill (9-10-1, 5-5) brings back 10 of 11 starters. Forward Desiree Gonzalez and midfielder Lauren Sauter are among a group of talented sophomores for a young Griffin squad.

Shepherd (8-10, 4-6) has all eleven starters back on hand. Forward Brianna Hines registered 14 goals in 2008 during her rookie campaign for the Rams.

Alderson-Broaddus (3-13, 2-8) will still a field a young squad during the program's second season with no Battler older than 19 years of age. Sophomore forward Sarah Talbott was an honorable mention All-WVIAC pick last season.

Pitt Johnstown (4-13, 3-6) is another program with little turnover in their starting lineup as the Lady Cats have 10 starters back. Seniors Alicia Zach (7 g, 6 a) and Kristin Kelly (5 g, 5a) led the UPJ attack in 2008.

Ohio Valley (1-18, 1-9) looks to move up in the league standings with seven starters back. Salem International (0-11, 0-10) hopes to snap a 25-game overall losing skid. The Tigers have dropped their last 32 contests versus NCAA Division II foes.

The WVIAC women's soccer regular season gets underway Thursday, August 27 when Ohio Valley welcomes Mountain State and Seton Hill hosts Clarion. The top six squads in the final regular standings qualify for the WVIAC Tournament. The November 2-7 event is contested on the home pitches of the highest seeds.

The complete 2009 WVIAC women's soccer coaches' poll follows:

Pos.    School (1st place votes)        2008 W-L    Pts.
1.    West Virginia Wesleyan (7)    15-3-1, 10-0    88
2.       Concord (2)                           12-8-1, 9-1       81
3.       Wheeling Jesuit       6-12, 5-4        66
4.       Davis & Elkins                         11-8, 7-3    65
5.       Charleston                             10-10, 8-2    55
6.       Seton Hill       9-10-1, 5-5    44
7.       Shepherd                                 8-10, 4-6    37
t8.    Alderson-Broaddus     3-13, 2-8    25
t8.    Pitt Johnstown                         4-13, 3-6         25
10.    Ohio Valley                                1-18, 1-9        10
x---Salem International is not eligible for the 2009 WVIAC women's soccer championship.

9/27/2008 vs Mansfield University

The Alderson-Broaddus women’s soccer team dropped a 6-0 decision to Mansfield University on Saturday, September 27. The Mountaineers recorded two goals in the first half before tacking on four more in the second. They took 36 shots compared to only one by the Lady Battlers. Sarah Cooper, a Jefferson High School product, recorded sixteen saves on the day for AB.

The Lady Battlers will travel to the University of Charleston on October 1 before returning home Monday, October 6 for a contest against the reigning WVIAC champions, the Lady Bobcats of West Virginia Wesleyan.

9/22/2008 vs Seton Hill University

   The inaugural edition of the Alderson Broaddus women’s soccer team continued to show improvement last week as it hosted the conference-leading Lady Griffins of Seton Hill University.
   The Battlers got on the board first when Sarah Talbott, a freshman from Musselman High School, scored on a breakaway goal in the first half. Seton Hill would tie the contest on a header by Jackie Fawcett prior to the intermission. Neither team would find the back of the net in the second half, forcing the contest into an extra period. Unfortunately, A-B would not be able to answer after the Lady Griffins received the winning goal from Lauren Sauter in order to eke out a 2-1 victory.
   The Lady Battlers took only five shots, two from Talbott, compared to 22 by the visitors. Sarah Cooper, a freshman keeper from Charlestown, West Virginia, had a total of eleven saves for the Lady Battlers.
   Coach Pat McGinnis’ squad will travel to out-of-conference foe Mansfield University of Pennsylvania on September 27 before heading to Salem International University on September 29 and the University of Charleston on October 1 for a pair of WVIAC contests.

9/10/2008 vs Davis & Elkins College

    The Lady Battlers soccer team continued to build upon its young season as it hosted Davis and Elkins College for a WVIAC matchup on September 10.
   The Senators got on the board first with a penalty kick at the 35:23 mark. They then added another goal to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission. Following the break, the Senators added three additional goals to take a 5-0 lead. Despite the deficit, the Lady Battlers would still make school history when Kristen Marshall netted an unassisted goal with 2:30 remaining. It would be the first goal ever scored by Alderson-Broaddus’ newly founded women’s soccer team.
   Marshall, a freshman from Martinsburg, had two of the Lady Battlers’ five shots. Kaitlyn Mahoney, Megan Smith, and Sarah Talbott also had opportunities on goal. A-B’s Sarah Cooper, a Jefferson High School product, recorded twenty saves, while Mallorie Dille, a native of Prosperity, West Virginia, had five.
   The Lady Battlers host Seton Hill University on Friday, September 19 for a WVIAC contest. Kickoff is slated for 4 PM.

8/31/2008 vs Clarion University, 9/07/2008 vs Wheeling Jesuit University

    In over 130 years of existence, Alderson-Broaddus College has never had a women’s soccer team. However, that all changed with the start of the 2008 school year as nineteen girls were gathered together to be apart of the Lady Battlers’ inaugural team. Under the direction of Patrick McGinnis, a former standout at Salem International, the team has taken many steps forward since preseason camp.
   So far, the young squad has taken part in two contests. On August 31, they hosted Clarion University. After holding the Golden Eagles scoreless in the first half, the Lady Battlers gave up seven goals after the intermission to fall 7-0. Mallory Dille, a native of Prosperity, West Virginia, faced 34 shots in goal for the Battlers and recorded sixteen saves. Freshmen Amber Aranda and Kristen Marshall both had two shots apiece for the Lady Battlers.
   On September 7, the Lady Battlers entertained Wheeling Jesuit University in their first WVIAC contest. Once again, they fell by a score of 7-0. Sarah Cooper had seven saves in goal for AB, while Kaitlyn Mahoney, Sarah Talbott, Christina Russo, Marshall and Aranda each had scoring opportunities for the Lady Battlers.
   The Lady Battlers will host Davis and Elkins College on September 10 in a 2 PM contest. They will then travel to Bluefield College in Bluefield, Virginia for an out-of-conference tilt on September 15.