A 45-minute lightning delay could not stop App State women’s soccer from getting its third consecutive win to open the season as sophomore forward Ellie Garrison and redshirt sophomore forward Kyli Switalski took control of the game for a 2-0 victory over the Davidson Wildcats. The goals were Garrison’s fourth and Switalski’s second of the season.
Graduate student forward Izzi Wood got in the mix as she assisted Garrison’s goal using a move to send the ball in between the defender’s legs and find the sophomore goal scorer. The assist for Wood also moves her into fourth all-time in points for the App State soccer program with 60. Wood is third in goals scored and tied for second in shots.
“Excellent goal, great assist too from Izzi. I think those two working up top is really dangerous and love to see it play out on the field,” head coach Aimee Haywood said. “Of course, Kyli, just an unbelievable corner kick.”
The stats for the first half indicate the Wildcats were putting pressure on a Mountaineer backline that has only allowed 2 goals all season. But, numbers sometimes lie. The stout Black and Gold defense lured Davidson right where they wanted them, creating outplays for the midfield to control the ball and only allowing one shot on target all game.
In the second half, the game plan switched for the Mountaineers, and a team that looked comfortable letting the other team come to them began pressuring every ball and looking to contain it throughout the wings. This led to 5 of App State’s 6 corners coming in the second half, one of which Switalski scored on.
“I walked up to take a normal corner and I knew I had to get it close to the goal at least for one of our players to head it in, and I just so happened to bend it top binz,” Switalski said. “One of the greatest goals I’ve scored in my college career so far. Hoping there’s more to come.”
The Black and Gold’s record-tying three-game start to the season has allowed the team to stay in North Carolina thus far, but a trip to William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia at noon Sunday and then to Clemson, South Carolina for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Aug. 31 will test the Mountaineers. The next two games will be streamed on FloCollege and ACCNX, respectively.
