Former Elizabethton Cyclone Christine Hardin scored her first goal of the season while freshman Amy Long scored her first two collegiate goals offensively to give the Buffaloes’ women’s soccer team a 5-0 victory over Brewton-Parker on Wednesday night on a soggy Anglin Field. It was the first win of the year for the Lady Buffs.
In addition to Long’s effort, fellow freshman Amy Olvera scored her first collegiate goal and dished her first assist, and Madison Thomas, another freshman, netted her second career goal after launching eight total shots on the night.
Overall, the Buffs had 13 player with at least one shot, while Megan Williams and Hardin each had four. Long, Caroline Gill and Rebecca Buchanan each finished with three.
With its first victory, the Milligan record raised to 1-2. Brewton-Parker fell to 1-5.
The Buffs dominated the entire way, playing a great match both defensively and offensively by controlling possession and the tempo en route to outshooting the Barons by 34.
Milligan opened up the first half with four shots and four corner kicks in the first 15 minutes before Hardin scored in the 16th minute after a corner kick deflected off Brewton-Parker goalkeeper Chelsea Harvey toward the waiting Hardin.
Six shots and four corner kicks later, the Buffs scored again in the 41st minute as Olvera scored her first collegiate goal.
Overall in the first half, Thomas had four of her eight shots, while Gill and Williams had three and two, respectively, to contribute to the Buffs 16 shots.
In the second half, Milligan kept its foot on the gas pedal and found pay dirt three times in the first six minutes.
Long exploded for two goals, in the 46th and 49th minutes, by taking the defense on single-handedly and dribbling around multiple Baron defenders. Long’s second goal was assisted by Olvera. Less than two minute after Long’s second goal, Thomas scored in the 51st minute off a deflection of Harvey after a crossing pass by Brittany Davis.
After that point, the Buffs fired 14 more shots in the match, including seven in a row and nine in just over an 11-minute span. Overall in the second half, the Buffs had 18 shots to top their mark in the previous half.
In net, the Buffs used two goalkeepers as sophomore Charlotte Stephens got the win after playing the first 56 minutes, and senior Brooklyn Snapp recorded 34 minutes in goal to finish off the contest.
Next up, the Buffs begin their first multi-match road trip of the season on Sept. 13 in Lawrenceville, Georgia, against Georgia Gwinnett College.
