Women’s soccer: VMI defeats Presbyterian in OT, 1-0

Olivia Cotton scored in the 8th minute of overtime, sending the VMI Keydets past the Presbyterian College Blue Hose, 1-0, in non-conference women’s soccer action Friday at Patchin Field in Lexington, Va.

After a steal in the Presbyterian (3-4) zone, a long ball behind the PC defense found Blake Cashin, on the left edge of the box. Cashinplayed the ball toward the middle to Cotton, who finished with a quick touch past goalkeeper Sydney Fontenot to set off the celebration.

The goal was Cotton’s third of the year, and came after she fallen to the ground at the conclusion of regulation after a collision. She stayed down for a moment and did not start the overtime period, but rather, entered 5:05 into the frame before scoring at 97:12.

VMI (3-5) finished the game with a 10-8 edge in shots and controlled much of the tempo for the final 65-plus minutes, as evidenced by the Keydets notching nine of the final 10 corner kicks. Overall, VMI held a 10-6 edge in that statistic. Darien Dunham posted five saves to three for Fontenot.

Both teams threatened in the opening moments. Off a PC corner kick in the fourth minute, the ball was headed toward the goal by Kristen Peagler. Dunham came out and made a sliding play to kick the ball away from a player looking for a rebound, and then fell on the ball off her own kick to keep the match scoreless.

VMI countered in the seventh minute, when Juliet Esnardo got free on the right side and tried a shot from about 16 yards out. Fontenot was up to the task, however, making a sprawling save to preserve the 0-0 score.

From there, the match was contested mostly in the midfield for the remainder of the afternoon. Although both squads had chances from a possession standpoint, neither was able to truly endanger the other club’s keeper until Cotton struck late in overtime.

The OT win was VMI’s first since August 19, 2011, that season’s opener against Howard.

The game was the second in a weekend four-team round-robin tournament hosted by VMI, following Francis Marion’s 9-1 win over Hampton earlier in the day.

VMI women’s soccer returns to action, and closes out the weekend’s proceedings, by taking on Francis Marion Sunday at 1:30 p.m.