ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's soccer team found the back of the net five times in the first half on its way to a 6-1 win over West Virginia Wesleyan Wednesday afternoon in a Mountain East Conference game at Callaghan Stadium.
The scoring was highlighted by the first career hat trick from senior defender
Leah Fleming who netted goals in the 31
st, 39
th and 44
th minutes. All three goals came from outside the penalty area with Fleming's final two goals coming from greater than 30 yards. Additionally, Fleming more than doubled her goal production for the fall as she entered Wednesday with just two goals.
Freshman forward
Ailsa Swinburne opened the scoring in the 12
th minute. After a free kick was knocked down inside the penalty area, Swinburne pounced on the loose ball and scored her third goal of the season.
Freshman midfielder
Tiana Campbell doubled the lead in the 26
th minute with her fifth goal of the season on an unassisted effort.
Up 5-1 in the second half, senior forward
Sydney Tucker tacked more insurance with a 68
th-minute score that was her team-best and MEC-best 14
th goal of the season.
Fleming becomes the third Mountain Lions with a hat trick this season, joining Tucker and freshman midfielder
Marika Svensson.
Svensson added an assist on Fleming's second goal while junior forward
Caitlin Webster moved into a tie for first in the conference with her seventh assist on Fleming's first goal of the afternoon.
The Mountain Lions outshot WVWC, 15-11, and had an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal. CU took nine of the game's 12 corner kicks.
Concord hosts West Virginia State in a pivotal MEC South game 1:00 p.m. Sunday at Callaghan Stadium.
