Lexington, Va. – Aubrey Dunbar's strike in the 10th minute proved to be the game-winning effort in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship match as the University of Lynchburg women's soccer team endured a hard fought 1-0 defeat at Watt Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Generals outshot the Hornets 17-14 with seven combined shots on target, while Lynchburg earned a slight 7-6 corner kick advantage. Julia Salo made three saves and played the full 90 minutes.
Lynchburg fired a flurry of shots to open the match, creating three chances in the first seven minutes. The first attempts included shots beyond the 18-yard box from Lauren Orner and Makayla Hargrove that missed the frame.
In the 10th minute, the Generals grabbed the go-ahead goal. Situated in the box, W&L's Dunbar rebounded a deflected header and slid the shot past a pair of defenders. The prospective game-winner marked Dunbar's second in as many games, as she secured the 49th-minute go-ahead goal against Bridgewater in the ODAC Semifinal.
The Hornets weathered the offensive onslaught in the following minutes, exterminating four chances in a five minutes. W&L boasted a 12-7 shot advantage as the first half expired.
While Lynchburg gathered seven shots and five corners in the final 45 minutes, the Hornets' only shot on target arrived in the 86th minute. Kate Hillegas split two defenders in the same position where she scored her first collegiate goal in the regular-season meeting, though the shot was saved by W&L keeper Kate McEnroe.
Despite extended spurts of possession, the scoreline remained 1-0 as the clock dwindled to zero. The title match moved Lynchburg's overall record to 15-3-3 following the ODAC Tournament.
The Hornets earned a share of the regular-season ODAC title with an 8-1-1 conference record, and the team posted a 7-0-1 record on Shellenberger Field.
Lynchburg will await its NCAA Tournament fate as the 64-team bracket is revealed during the NCAA Division III women's soccer selection show on Monday, Nov. 9 at 11:30 a.m. The first round of the NCAA Tournament will begin on Saturday, Nov. 14.
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