RICHMOND, Virginia – UNCW used a goal from three different players to open the
Chris Neal Era with a 3-1 non-conference victory over VCU in the season opener for both teams at Sports Backers Stadium on Friday evening.
The Seahawks took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute when junior
Ashley Johnson tallied the first goal of her college career, an unassisted marker past redshirt senior Audrey Sanderson.
Redshirt junior
Kirsten Bootes upped the lead to 2-0 with 23:01 remaining when she tapped in a punch attempt by Sanderson out of the penalty area.
VCU trimmed the margin to 2-1 just under three minutes when freshman Idelys Vazquez scored on a shot from inside the penalty area. But, sophomore
Morgan Nanni answered less than a minute later by converting a pass from junior
Baley Edwards to reclaim the Seahawks' two-goal advantage.
Senior
Caitie Broderick and sophomore
Sydney Schneider split time in goal for the Seahawks. Broderick, who made her first start with the Seahawks, played the first half and did not make a save while Schneider tallied five saves in the second half.
Sanderson stopped five shots in a losing effort for the Rams.
VCU outshot the Seahawks by a 12-10 margin and had a 9-6 advantage in corner kicks.
Up Next: UNCW makes its 2018 home debut on Sunday evening when the Seahawks welcome High Point for a 6 p.m. non-conference contest.
