West Liberty University Athletics

WLU Soccer Ties Regionally-Ranked Bobcats

Women's Soccer | 10/1/2016 4:37:00 PM

Box Score WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University women's soccer team delivered another impressive result Saturday afternoon, battling unbeaten and regionally-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan through double overtime before settling for a 1-1 draw at the West Liberty Soccer Complex.
The deadlock with the defending Mountain East Conference champion Bobcats (6-0-3, 5-0-3) extended WLU's unbeaten streak to seven games and Coach Barry Christmas' Hilltoppers (4-3-3, 4-1-3) narrowly missed handing the visitors their first MEC loss in two years.
West Liberty jumped out to a quick early lead when Nikki Lolua scored in the sixth minute on the first shot of the game by either team.
Hilltopper midfielder Briella Taylor got the ball to Lolua inside the box and the freshman midfielder tucked her first collegiate goal neatly into the top left corner of the net.
West Liberty nursed that 1-0 lead throughout the remainder of the opening half and weathered a Wesleyan barrage for much of the second period thanks to a stellar effort from the WLU back line and Hilltopper netminder Lauren Hartnell.
The Bobcats, No. 5 in this week's NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings, finally broke through in the 80th minute. Kelsey Sitka played the ball in deep to Natalie Prater, who powered it into the center of the cage for the equalizer.
Regulation time ended with no further scoring and Hartnell stopped the only shot by either team in the two overtime periods to close out the match.
Hartnell finished with 10 saves for the Hilltoppers while Bobcat keeper Chelsea Hubner was charted with 5 stops in net.
The West Liberty women take their 7-match unbeaten streak on the road Tuesday for a noon match at Shepherd.

WOMEN'S SOCCER
West Liberty 1, W.Va. Wesleyan 1, 2ot
W.Va. Wesleyan 0 1 0 0 - 1
West Liberty 1 0 0 0 - 1
First Half
WLU: Nikki Lolua (Briella Taylor), 5:17
Second Half
WVW: Natalie Prater (Kelsey Sitka), 79:15
Match Statistics
Shots: W.Va. Wesleyan 19, West Liberty 7
Saves: W.Va. Wesleyan 5 (Chelsea Hubner 5), West Liberty 10 (Lauren Hartnell 10)
Corners: W.Va. Wesleyan 3, West Liberty 0
A: 113

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Players Mentioned

#1 Lauren Hartnell: GK; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#10 Briella Taylor: MID; 5' 4"; Sophomore

#13 Nikki Lolua: MID; 5' 6"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Lauren Hartnell
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: GK

#10 Briella Taylor
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: MID

#13 Nikki Lolua
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: MID

Players Mentioned

#1 Lauren Hartnell

#10 Briella Taylor

#13 Nikki Lolua

Players Mentioned

#1 Lauren Hartnell

#10 Briella Taylor

#13 Nikki Lolua