Trojans Fall To Belmont Abbey 1-0
A goal in the 52nd minute proved to be the difference as Mount Olive fell to Belmont Abbey 1-0 in Conference Carolinas women’s soccer Saturday at Amon Field. The loss snapped the Trojans' three-match winning streak and was also the ninth consecutive one-goal loss to Belmont Abbey.
Prior to the start of the match, a moment of silence was observed in honor of NCAA President Dr. Myles Brand, who passed away Wednesday after battling pancreatic cancer.
Defense was the theme in the first half as neither team registered a shot attempt until the 18th minute. Mount Olive (3-4-1 overall, 1-1-0 Conference Carolinas) nearly got on the scoreboard in the 23rd minute when Rebeccah Hecke lofted a shot from 28 yards out. Belmont Abbey goalkeeper Kelsey Lovell tipped the ball up and caught it just in front of the goal.
Trojan goalkeeper Lyndsey McIntyre made a diving save on Erika Trivisonno’s shot in the 25th minute and the two teams went into halftime tied 0-0.
Belmont Abbey (3-2-0, 2-0-0) broke the deadlock less than seven minutes into the second half. Kristin Foster played the ball from inside the box to Celene Molera, who one-timed it from the top of the box at the 51:40 mark.
Mount Olive narrowly missed sending the match into overtime after a Belmont Abbey handball gave the Trojans a restart from midfield with less than 30 seconds left. Mary Knepp’s service forced a wild scramble in the box, but Belmont Abbey was able to clear the ball out as time expired.
Belmont Abbey outshot Mount Olive 11-5. McIntyre and Lovell each recorded three saves in goal.
Mount Olive returns to action Tuesday as the Trojans play host to Pfeiffer in a Conference Carolinas match-up. Match time is 4 p.m. at Amon Field.