SWEET BRIAR, Va. --- Ali Lifka (Arden, N.C./T.C. Roberson) and Marissa McCord (Asheville, N.C./T.C. Roberson) hooked up for an equalizer in the third minute of play on Wednesday afternoon against 9th-ranked Virginia Wesleyan College. After conceding a goal in the opening minutes of the game, Vixen Soccer responded with a McCord header off a perfectly placed far post corner kick sent in by Lifka. The Marlins countered with a few quick scores of their own en route to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference win.
Virginia Wesleyan found its groove after giving up only its second ODAC goal of the season. Caitlyn Bishop (Virginia Beach, Va. / Princess Anne) lead the way for the Marlins, the sophomore netted a hat trick in the first half of play.
Marlin midfielder Allison Jaimes (El Dorado Hills, Calif. / Shingle Springs Ponderosa) opened scoring when she knocked in a Breanne Ingargiola (Bayport, N.Y. / Bayport-Blue Point) cross at just over a minute of play. SBC evened up the tally a few minutes later on the McCord header.
With the score tied at one goal apieace, Marlin senior Jessica Edelman (Voorhees, N.J. / Eastern Regional) gave VWC the lead for good in the sixth minute and then added an insurance goal two minutes later. Ingargiola and Emily Sheridan rounded out first half scoring for the Marlins.
As the second frame continued, the Vixen squad appeared headed for a second half shut out, but a Christina Fernandez (Tinton Falls, N.J. / Tinton Falls) score in the 69th minute capped game scoring, giving VWC a 9-1 win over SBC.
Visiting keeper Erica Keil (Wayne, N.J. / DePaul Catholic) faced one shot and was not able to make the stop. For the Vixens, rookie keeper Katherine Tillson (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) turned away 10 of 19 shots.
Sweet Briar Soccer returns to match play on Saturday, October 6. The Vixens travel to Ashland, Va. for an ODAC contest with the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets.
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