Lady Toppers Overcome Belmont Rally in 3-2 Exhibition Victory

Sunday, August 12

Bowling Green, Ky.

6 P.M. CT

Western Kentucky University

Belmont (EXH)

Belmont

WKU

Photo by: Steve Roberts/WKU Athletics

Lady Toppers Overcome Belmont Rally in 3-2 Exhibition Victory

8/12/2018 9:08:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Two early goals from Sarah Gorham put WKU in front in the first half, and a late strike from Chandler Backes helped the Lady Toppers overcome a furious rally by Belmont in a 3-2 WKU victory in exhibition action at the WKU Soccer Complex on Sunday evening.

With its final exhibition contest in the books, WKU finishes the preseason with a 1-1-1 record after previously earning a 1-1 draw at Austin Peay and dropping a 2-1 decision against Saint Louis.

Gorham wrapped up the preseason with her second and third goals of exhibition play, and the Lady Toppers totaled five as a team across the three matches. Backes added the match-winner on Sunday, and Aleksandra Kozovic scored off a direct free kick against Saint Louis on Friday night.

As a team, WKU controlled the offensive flow for much of the night, outshooting Belmont 19-4 for the match and 10-2 in the second half alone. After being held without a corner kick opportunity on Friday, the Lady Toppers had a 6-1 advantage in the category on Sunday with three in each half. Gorham led all players with four shots, three of which were on goal; for Belmont, Jessi Boozer led the Bruins with a pair of shots.

In goal, Anne-Marie Ulliac drew the start and played the first 66 minutes before giving way to Bailee Witt for the remainder of the match. Both allowed only one goal, and Witt earned the decision for being between the posts when Backes notched the match-winner. Abby Hunt and Lily Herman each played a half for Belmont, with Herman taking the loss despite six second-half saves.

WKU attacked early and often with both Ambere Barnett and Backes testing Hunt over the first six minutes. Gorham knocked in the early go-ahead goal at the 8:11 mark after a strong buildup through the midfield. Nicole Roseland slotted a pass through to freshman Lyric Schmidt, who found Gorham with a long through ball behind the defense. The redshirt senior dribbled past the hard-charging goalkeeper and scored on the empty net for the 1-0 lead.

Just under four minutes later, Gorham again found Hunt out of position to double WKU's lead. Kozovic played the ball up for the midfielder who converted into the empty net to put the Lady Toppers up 2-0 just under 12 minutes into the match.

Two corners in the 33rd minute gave the Lady Toppers a chance to add another first-half goal, but the Belmont defense held strong, parrying away a shot from Gorham and seeing a shot from Schmidt go just wide to send the two sides into the locker room.

Belmont cut WKU's lead in half just one minute into the second frame. Sarah Bossung set up a free kick from 35 yards out and placed the ball right on the foot of Boozer for the tap-in goal to put the Bruins on the board. Belmont threatened again in the 48th minute, but the would-be equalizer flew well to the left of the goal.

An own goal by WKU in the 69th minute leveled the match at 2-2. A strong shot by Belmont's Julie Garst ricocheted hard off a WKU defender and into the right corner of the goal, erasing the Lady Toppers' early advantage and setting up a race to the finish over the final 20 minutes.

Kerragan Mulzer's great run down the right side and a well-placed cross into the center of the box for Backes proved to be the difference in the match. The freshman connected with WKU's top returning goalscorer at the 78:33 mark, and Backes' hard strike found the back of the net for the decisive goal. Despite a late push in the final minute by the Bruins, WKU's defense held strong to claim the 3-2 win.

WKU is now set to open the 2018 regular season on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. with a road trip to Murray State. The Lady Toppers own a 4-1 lead in the all-time series against the Racers, including a 4-0 victory in the most recent meeting between the two sides on Sept. 12, 2008.