Game Notes: VMI women’s soccer hosts UNCG in SoCon opener

Chris Graham calls the action on ESPN+ as the VMI women’s soccer team opens SoCon play on Friday at 4 p.m. in Lexington against the UNCG Spartans.

Date/Time: Friday, Sept. 21 | 4 p.m.
Location: Lexington, Va. | Patchin Field
Multimedia: ESPN + | Live Stats

About VMI (6-0-1, 0-0 SoCon)

The Keydets had their game with William & Mary postponed on Sunday due to unsafe playing conditions and look forward to getting back on the pitch having played their last game nine days ago on Sept. 12, a 2-0 victory over host Richmond.

Julianne Knoblett and Blake Cashin notched in two goals in the opening 10 minutes of the game and the Keydets held on the rest of the way to snag the 2-0 shutout win over the Spiders. The Spiders came close on a few occasions but VMI keeper Ceci Keppeler recorded two saves and the Keydets earned two team saves to hold Richmond scoreless.

Junior Sierra Brewer leads VMI with four goals on the year and is tied for fourth in the individual league standing for the category. Knoblett, Cashin, Kiley Cropper and Sam Franklin all have two goals on the season. Other offensive leaders include Whitney Edwards-Roberson, Taylor Callahan and Natalie Carpenter, who each have a pair of assists through seven games.

Keppeler has tallied a SoCon-best five shutouts for the season thus far.

About the Spartans (5-2-1, 0-0 SoCon)

The Spartans enter Friday’s contest a little rusty themselves as their last game played was a Sept.12 matchup, a tough 1-0 loss to NC State at home. Prior to the loss to the Wolfpack, UNCG had rallied off three straight wins over Longwood, High Point and Davidson. The Spartans have also claimed wins over Gardner-Webb and Richmond this season.

Leading scorer Cienna Rideout is tied with VMI’s Brewer for fourth place in the league standings for goals scored with four on the season. Kaley Tucker is second on the squad with three goals while Quiqui Hita, Nicole Souply and Isabelle Blomdahl each have two.

Aiyannah Tyler-Cooper has played all but 15 minutes in the goalbox for the Spartans and has allowed eight goals for a 0.99 goals-against average. She has 28 saves to her credit for a .778 save percentage to go with two shutouts.