Blackwell propels Lady Pilots to first win with hat-trick
September 02, 2005
Shreveport, LA---Lady Pilot Brenna Bussart headed in her second goal of the season in the second minute of play off a high sailing corner kick by Shaderia Evans which proved to be the game winning goal in an afternoon of history for the Lady Pilots (1-2) as they defeated the Louisiana College Wildcats (0-1) 6-0.
Head coach Jed Jones and his Lady Pilots entered Friday afternoon’s matinee looking to capitalize on their home field advantage and collect their first win of the season, and the first in LSUS soccer history. In convincing fashion, the Lady Pilots poured in 6 goals after a 39 shot barrage on Wildcat goal keeper Nichol Saverino (0-1), who managed to turn away 13-19 shots on goal.
“I am very happy with the win. It was an afternoon of firsts for us; our first win; our first shut-out; and our first hat trick,” Jones commented at the conclusion of Friday’s game. “I am a little concerned that we did not finish on more of the chances we created, but we took some steps forward today and hopefully we can improve on that and go get our first road win versus the University of the Ozarks and get back to the .500 mark,” concluded Jones.
Lady Pilot forward Katrina Blackwell, a freshman forward from Harker Heights, TX, was held scoreless in her first two games of the season but broke out in a huge way, collecting three goals, and the first hat trick in LSUS history. “Our offense has had its chances to score in our first two games but we just haven’t been able to finish. We did a better job of that today by using our speed and just taking what was there and not trying to do too much. I think this win will allow us to relax a little more and relieve some of that pressure to score because now we know we can,” concluded Blackwell.
Blackwell chased down a pass from Calandre Singh that split the Wildcat defense and drove it passed a defenseless Saverino at the 35:40 mark of the first half to put the Lady Pilots up 2-0. The score remained that way until Michelle Williamson sent a pass to a sprinting Singh who buried a left footed shot to the back of the net for her second goal of the season making it 3-0 at the half.
The Lady Pilots continued to control the tempo in the second half and made the score 4-0 after Evans sent Blackwell streaking down the center of the field all alone to collect her second goal of the afternoon in the third minute of the half.
Blackwell finished her afternoon by dribbling through three Wildcat defenders to find open field and drove her third goal of the game passed a sprawling Saverino at the 27:11 mark, putting the Lady Pilots up 5-0.
Evans, a 5’10 freshman from Midland, TX has been a powerful defender for the Lady Pilots thus far found herself at the forward position in the dying minutes of the game and took advantage of her opportunity as she drove down the left side of the field and sent a booming left footed strike off the inside of the right goal post and in for her first goal of the season, making the score 6-0.
LSUS goal keeper Sarah McLean (1-0) saw her first action of the year after sitting out the first two games due to a hip injury and held the Wildcats scoreless in the first half denying the one shot on goal she faced. Anna Melcher and Erin Wallace split the second half in goal and turned away two shots on goal to combine for a three way effort in the first ever shutout for LSUS.
The Lady Pilots out shot the Wildcats 39-7 and had the advantage in corner kicks at 5-1. Blackwell led all scorers with three goals, while Evans finished with 1 goal and 2 assists, Singh collected 1 goal and 1 assist, Bussart collected 1 goal, and Williamson pitched in with 1 assist.
LSUS now must look forward to Saturday’s match-up versus the University of the Ozarks which will be played in Clarksville, AR. Kick-off is scheduled for 2:00pm. The Lady Pilots will return home Tuesday, September 6 when they will play host to East Texas Baptist University with the kick-off scheduled for 5:00pm.
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