BLUEFIELD – Defense was the name of the game Saturday afternoon at the East River Soccer Complex as the Bluefield College women's soccer team blanked Columbia International University 2-0 in a game where both goals were own goals put in by the visiting Rams.
"It was great to be back home after being away the last three matches," said BC head coach Tom Price. "The girls came out and I thought handled themselves very well. We really possessed the ball nicely, we did the things I wanted them to do."
The first goal of the game came in the 10th minute when Whitney Browning and two CIU defenders slid for the ball in front of the CIU goal and the last touch was by a Columbia player. The game's other goal came late, in the 84th minute as a ball by Megan Norton bounded off a CIU defender and into the net.
"It was a good job of our ladies forcing those errors Price said. "They (CIU) didn't make mistakes that cost them, we forced both of those plays."
Bluefield also played strong defensively in the game, keeping the action on Columbia's side of the field. Dakota Duckworth and Allie Higgins were strong along with Norton and Browning.
CIU managed only four shots in the match, one in the second half. Bluefield had 15 shots and CIU keeper Sam Wammock had eight saves. Amanda Brown saved three for Bluefield. Whitney Browning had five shots, Norton three and Victoria Doyle four.
"It was a good team win today and we've got to get our legs back and rested," Price said. "We have Union on Wednesday and that's going to be a tough conference opener."
Union visits East River for a 5 p.m. match, Wednesday. Bluefield, with the win, now stands at 2-2-1 on the season.
