Box Score Lexington, Ky. – Enjoying a second-half offensive outburst, the Transylvania women's soccer team picked up its second conference home win of the season with a 4-1 victory against the Manchester University Spartans on Saturday afternoon at Pat Deacon Stadium.
All four of Transylvania's goals came within an 11-minute stretch in the early portion of the second half to shellshock the Spartans, and move to 2-3 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
The Pioneers were aggressive all afternoon and controlled possession in the friendly confines of the Fourth Street Complex. The Pioneers' offensive proactivity was reflected not only in the four beautiful goals, but winning the corner kick category, 12 to 1.
The first half was an agonizing affair for the Pioneers as they seemingly created opportunities by the minute, but were left without a reward. Time after time, dangerous crossers arrived into the box, and often there was a Pioneer boot to apply a finishing touch, but numerous shots flew wide or high, or even off the crossbar.
But in the second half, the floodgates opened for the relentless Pioneers.
Relief came for the Pioneers just eight minutes into the second half as senior midfielder Erin Koch took a pinpoint cross from the right side, swept through with a shot that glanced off the crossbar. The deflection came right back to Koch's foot and the second try went to the left side of the net for the Pioneers' first score of the day.
Just minutes later, senior center back Nicole Dal Pozzo set up sophomore midfielder Haley Blackburn for a well-placed strike and a sudden 2-0 lead for the Pioneers.
The match reached a boiling point as two and a half minutes later, the Pioneers registered their third goal of the game as well as the third in a seven-minute stretch; senior midfielder Erin Snyder received a left-sided cross from senior midfielder Charlotte Pruet and found the back of the net for a 3-0 Pioneers lead.
Manchester took the ensuing kick at center circle and marched down the field for its first and only goal of the game. But Transylvania remained unfazed as sophomore midfielder Bailey Browning attacked and scored three minutes later in the 64th minute for an imposing 4-1 lead.
Transylvania outshot Manchester 25 to 6 in the contest to further illustrate the offensive dominance by the Pioneers at home.
With a 2-3 HCAC record, the Pioneers sit in fifth place in the conference standings as their homestand continues through next week. The Pioneers next host the Franklin College Grizzlies, who sit six points ahead of them in the standings, on Wednesday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m at Pat Deacon Stadium.
Four games remain in the regular season for the Pioneers.
For more on Transylvania women's soccer, follow their official twitter @TransyWSoccer
