Lynchburg, Va. – The University of Lynchburg women's soccer team conceded late goals and fell to Virginia Wesleyan 3-2 on Friday afternoon in the ODAC semifinals.

In a rematch of the 2021 and 2022 ODAC Championships, the Marlins and Hornets traded blows in a high-energy affair in which Lynchburg outshot VWU 14-12. Both teams combined for just six corners.

Just 52 seconds into the contest, Marlins keeper Addie Greco bobbled a cross that found the foot of Madelyn Boyce for the opening goal. Boyce recorded her 10th goal of the season, the first Hornet to tally double figures since Amanda Wigboldy in 2019. 

The Hornets continued applying pressure and fired eight shots in the opening half. With a large portion of possession, Lynchburg continued to find the 18-yard box and earned a penalty kick when Meghan Lauder was fouled from the back. Senior defender Haleigh Casey slotted the spot kick home to earn a 2-0 advantage heading into the half.

In the second 45 minutes, both teams created chances before Virginia Wesleyan cracked the code in the 67th minute. Freshman Emma Nguyen curled a free kick from the side over Meredith Bowers' gloves to cut into the deficit.

10 minutes later, Camille Jernigan tied the match. The VWU grad student shot from a step inside the box and popped the net to equalize. 

With both teams garnering quality chances in the final minutes, the Marlins secured the victory as Nguyen found her second goal. The ball bounced through the box, and the freshman connected with an 89th minute strike that sealed Virginia Wesleyan's 3-2 victory.

After the squad's exit from the ODAC Tournament, Lynchburg sits at 12-5-3 with an 8-0-2 ODAC record. 

Despite the loss, the Hornets celebrated many accomplishments throughout the 2024 campaign. Dr. Todd Olsen earned his 500th career victory vs Averett, Lynchburg boasted a 10-game unbeaten streak heading into the semifinal matchup, and the Hornets earned key victories vs Randolph-Macon and Virginia Wesleyan in the regular season. Members of this year's senior class have only lost seven games on Shellenberger Field during their four seasons.

The final bracket for the 2024 NCAA Tournament will be revealed on Monday, Nov. 11 at 2:00 p.m.

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--LYN--