.jpg)
In a historic victory, the Southern Virginia University women’s soccer team secured its first-ever USA South Conference Championship title with a resounding 3-1 home over Brevard College at Saturday at The Fields in Buena Vista. The Knights (13-5-1 overall, 9-0-0 USA South) showcased their talent and determination throughout the match to achieve this significant milestone.
The game opened with a fierce battle, but it was Ellie Owen who broke the deadlock for SVU, scoring in the 45th minute. Owen was brilliantly assisted by Makinna Winterton, setting the tone for an impressive performance by the Knights.
Brevard (13-5-3, 5-2-2) responded with a goal of their own in the 60th minute, courtesy of Taylor Richardson, who was skillfully assisted by Tae Brown.
In the 71st minute, Winterton showcased her playmaking abilities to score a goal to put the Knights back on top. Claire Stephens provided an assist.
Maybel Harris added an exclamation point to the victory with a goal in the 74th minute, further securing SVU’s dominance and completing the 3-1 scoreline.
SVU reached the finals by earning two shutout wins at home, defeating Salem College 3-0 in the first round on Tuesday of last week and beating Greensboro College 4-0 in the semifinals on Thursday.
The Knights will now turn their attention to the upcoming NCAA tournament, where they aim to continue their remarkable season and make a mark on the national stage. For updates, visit knightathletics.com.
VMI
Overcomes
ETSU, 31-24
Outscoring its opponent 17-0 in the fourth quarter and 24-14 in the second half, Virginia Military Institute pulled out a gritty gridiron road win Saturday over East Tennessee State Universitym, 31-24.
The Keydets improved to 4-5 on the season, with an even 3-3 record in the Southern Conference, while ETSU drops to 2-7 overall and 1-5 in the SoCon.
The victory – which is the fourth all-time for VMI in Johnson City, Tenn. – gives VMI a four-win season for just the fourth time in the last 15 years.
VMI running back Hunter Rice rushed for 47 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries, and Rashad Raymond led the Keydets with 67 rushing yards on 12 totes. VMI redshirt freshman quarterback Collin Shannon completed 20-of-37 passes with one interception for 201 yards and one TD. The TD pass was a 12-yard toss to Ivan Thorpe in the fourth quarter.
“We fought really hard. I’m really proud of our perseverance and our leadership,” said VMI head coach Danny Rocco. “It would have been easy to get down and feel sorry for ourselves but we opted not to do that. … I thought it would be a competitive game and I’m proud of the way we fought and finished.”
The Keydets will continue SoCon action at Furman (8-1, 6-0) on Saturday at 1 p.m. For VMI’s schedule and updates, visit www.vmikeydets.com.
