Lancers Women's Soccer Announce 2013 Schedule

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University 20th-year women’s soccer head coach Todd Dyer ‘93 has announced his upcoming 2013 Schedule that features six Big South Conference home matches among the 11 league contests, as well as a visit to the Athletics Complex in Farmville by in-state opponent James Madison University.  The Lancers finished 2012 with an overall record of 13-6-2, including 8-2-1 in its first season as members of the Big South, and were 8-1-1 at home where the program is 48-15-3 since beginning competition at the facility in 2006.  Longwood is 41-14-2 at the Athletics Complex since attaining its NCAA Division I certification and eligibility for 2007.  The Lancers will play a preseason exhibition match at home against Appalachian State University on Saturday, August 17 at 1 p.m.  The regular season opener is on the road at North Carolina State University of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Sunday, August 25 at 7 p.m. in Raleigh, North Carolina.
   
“This is by far the most challenging schedule we've ever faced and that's exactly the way we want it,” said Dyer.  “For our program to continue moving forward, it is an absolute must that we keep raising the bar as it relates to the level of competition we measure ourselves against.  We've done that with this schedule and we all embrace this opportunity and are eager to get to work.”

Longwood Women Fall to Coastal Carolina, 2-0

LONGWOOD FALLS IN BIG SOUTH ROAD MATCH AT COASTAL CAROLINA 2-0

Longwood Freshman, Olivia Colella

CONWAY, S.C. -- Longwood University dropped its first Big South Conference women’s soccer decision on Saturday afternoon, falling 2-0 on the road at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.  The host Chanticleers (5-6, 2-2 Big South) scored a pair of second-half goals to secure their victory against the Lancers (8-4, 3-1 Big South).  Longwood will return home to play again on Thursday, October 4, against visiting Big South member Winthrop University at the Athletics Complex in Farmville at 5:30 p.m.
    
“Looking back on the whole 90 minutes, Coastal Carolina deserved that result,” said 19th-year head coach Todd Dyer ‘93.  “They put us under a lot of pressure and we just didn’t deal with it well enough.  Offensively, we weren’t a consistent threat and that freed up their backs to get forward and create problems for us.
    
“We are capable of playing at a higher level and we have to show that against a strong Winthrop squad.”
    
Longwood and Coastal Carolina battled through a scoreless first half before Ashley Day scored the first goal in the 61st minute, assisted by Fia Jonsson.  The Chanticleers added a late insurance goal in the 87th minute by Kacey Kelley.  Keeper Megan Spencer did the rest with five saves en route to the shutout. 
    
Coastal Carolina took a 12-7 advantage in shots, though it was 5-5 in attempts on goal, and 2-2 on corner kicks.  JuniorKelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) had three shots, two on goal, and freshman Olivia Colella|Herndon (Chantilly)added two shots, both on goal, to lead Longwood.  Senior keeper Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) played the duration in front of the net for the Lancers with three saves.
    
Day and Kelley each had two shots for CCU, while Spencer played the duration for the Chanticleers with the five saves.
    
Longwood and Coastal Carolina were playing for the sixth time in the sport of women’s soccer, and the Chanticleers now lead the series, 5-1.

Lancers Women Beat Presbyterian in OT, 200th Career Win for Todd Dyer

LONGWOOD DEFEATS BIG SOUTH OPPONENT PRESBYTERIAN 2-1 IN OT

Lancers’ 19th-year head coach Todd Dyer Earns Win #200

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University won its second consecutive Big South Conference women’s soccer match Saturday afternoon, taking a 2-1 home win in overtime past Presbyterian College at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.  Junior Kelsey Pardue|Henrico (Hermitage) scored the exciting game-winning goal in the fifth minute of OT for the Lancers (7-3, 2-0 Big South), unassisted, and sophomore Kylie Dyer|Farmville (Prince Edward) added the first goal against the Blue Hose (0-9, 0-2 Big South), assisted by senior captainLindsey Ottavio|Fairfax (W.T. Woodson).  The league triumph was also the 200th career coaching victoryfor 19th-year head coach Todd Dyer ‘93 (200-122-20).  Longwood will play again on Thursday, September 27, on the road at Big South member Charleston Southern University in Charleston, South Carolina at 3 p.m.  

Lancers Women's Head Coach Todd Dyer

    
“Throughout the course of a season, you’re going to face moments of adversity,” said Coach Dyer.  “This was one of those moments and we responded in a positive way by gutting out a result against a very organized and resilient Presbyterian squad.  We have to be better as we move forward and now we have a good idea of what we have to work on in training this week.”
    
Longwood and Presbyterian were scoreless at the intermission before Kylie Dyer, the daughter of the head coach, received a nice ball into the box from Ottavio and promptly finished to the left corner of the net at 50:46 for the 1-0 advantage.  It was Dyer’s second goal this season, and the third assist for Ottavio.  The Blue Hose, however, battled back and were able to tie it at 1-1 on a goal from Brittany Whitson at 65:57.  The Lancers nearly won it at the end of regulation but missed an opportunity from point-blank range in the 89th minute. Pardue, who had two goals and two assists on Thursday during a 4-0 shutout past UNC Asheville, tallied the game-winner at 94:59 when she dribbled up the middle through traffic and shot successfully to the right upper 90 to give Coach Dyer his 200th coaching win.  It was Pardue's fourth goal this fall, including her third game-winning goal.
    
“200 is a nice milestone and what it really reflects is that I’ve been fortunate to do what I love, at a place I love, for a long, long time,” added Coach Dyer.  “I’m blessed to have had the privilege of working with so many great people these past 19 years.  Our program’s future is very bright due to all of their hard work.”
    
Longwood took a 14-7 advantage in shots, and it was 6-4 in attempts on goal, while a 9-1 margin on corner kicks.  Ottavio had four shots, three on goal, and Kylie Dyer added two shots, one on goal, to lead Longwood.  How appropriate that Kylie Dyer scored a goal on this special day for her father.  Senior keeper Kyra Byron|Richmond (Mills E. Godwin) played the duration in front of the net with three saves for the Lancers.
    
Presbyterian had seven shots from seven different players, while keeper Jordan Broadway played the duration for the Blue Hose with four saves.
    
Longwood and Presbyterian were playing for the fourth time in the sport of women’s soccer, and the Blue Hose still lead the series, 2-1-1.
    
It was also Joshua Bolt Day as the Longwood women’s soccer program recognized Joshua and the Bolt family during a special pre-game ceremony, and dedicated the match against Presbyterian to Joshua.

Longwood Shutout by No. 17 Coastal Carolina to begin season

LONGWOOD DROPS SEASON OPENER 4-0 to #17 COASTAL CAROLINA\

CONWAY, S.C. -- The Longwood University men’s soccer team was defeated by #17 Coastal Carolina University, 4-0, in the Lancers’ 2012 season opener and first-ever Big South Conference matchup at CCU Soccer Field in Conway, S.C. on Friday evening. The Chanticleers (1-0) outshot the Lancers (0-1), 24-2, en route to earning the victory in what turned out to be a very physical outing. Longwood returns to action on Tuesday, August 28 at 5 p.m. when the squad travels to Presbyterian College for its second of three-straight conference contests beginning at 5 p.m.

“We came up against a seasoned team tonight and while we didn’t back down, we just couldn’t match their quality,” said head coach Jon Atkinson. “It would have been nice to not have gifted their opening goals, as we felt the longer the game wore on, the better our chances would have been, but we give Coastal their credit. We saw a caliber team this evening and last year’s Big South Conference champs and it has showed our team the level they must achieve to become a player at this level. We will regroup and prepare for what will be a quick turnaround and a good opportunity to bounce back on Tuesday at Presbyterian.”

The teams battled through 27 minutes of scoreless play before Coastal Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the 28^thminute of play, as Justin Portillo received a pass from Ashton Bennett and made two touches to beat sophomore goalkeeper Paul Hegedus|Ashburn (Broad Run) to the right post.

Just over a minute later, Coastal sent a cross in front of the net that was deflected off the head of a Longwood defender for an own goal, making it a 2-0 game.  

Bennett sealed the victory for the Chanticleers with two goals in the second half. His first came in the 74th minute of play, when he dribbled to the left side of the box and fired a shot hard and low past freshman goalkeeper Carl Carpenter|Charlottesville (St. Anne’s Belfield). Less than ten minutes later, Bennett struck again, this time finding the back of the net off a pass from Shawn McClaws.

Vinnie Llana|Raleigh, N.C. (Broughton) and Anthony Ugorji|Washington, D.C. (Archbishop Carroll) tallied one shot apiece for the Lancers. Ugorji notched Longwood’s lone shot on goal of the outing. Bennett led all players with a game-high seven shots, including four on goal.

Carpenter registered eight saves in his collegiate debut, seeing 53:42 minutes of action after coming off the bench in the first half. Hegedus notched one save in 36:18 minutes in front of the net.

Friday’s match marked the second meeting all-time between Longwood and Coastal Carolina, with the Chanticleers tying the series at one a side.