BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. — The Montreat College women's soccer team took down the Columbia International University Rams in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play on Wednesday night. Behind a 1-0 scoreline, the Cavaliers picked up their initial overall win, league triumph and clean sheet of the campaign. Following their first victory versus CIU since 2022, the Cavs' record improved to 1-4-0 (1-3-0 AAC), while the Rams' record moved to 1-2-3 (0-2-1 AAC).
Montreat generated stronger activity early on with shots from
Rebeca Cruz Manon and
Natalie Hall preceding a
Maddie Ellis corner kick in the match's ninth minute. The Cavaliers kept applying pressure through another set piece and shot from
Leigh Harpel roughly seven minutes later.
Harpel delivered the contest's lone goal late in the 26
th minute. Columbia International attempted to clear Ellis' corner kick, but the effort never made it past the penalty spot. A native of Crested Butte, Colo., Harpel settled the clearance with one touch before blasting a shot past the Rams' goalkeeper and into the netting. The junior's second tally of the year put the home team on top, 1-0.
"There's a reason [Leigh] is a captain on our team, and she leads a lot of the time through her play," said Head Coach
Kristin Eggert. "Whether it's the work rate or continuing to get up when she was getting hit a lot in that game, she wasn't reacting whether we got the call or not. She kept her composure, and that ultimately is what helped us win the game."
CIU mustered three shots and two corners during the opening 45 minutes of action, but the Cavs kept the visitors off the scoresheet and entered the break with their one-goal advantage.
Montreat pieced together a sustained attacking stretch from the 52
nd minute to the 59
th minute, with Hall,
Jocelyn Stanley, Cruz Manon, Harpel and Ellis combining for six shots and a corner kick; however, the Cavaliers were unable to find any insurance. Fortunately for the home team,
Anna Weissenfluh stood tall in net to preserve the 1-0 edge. The senior from Jackson, Tenn. registered three saves across a 20-minute stretch, bringing her career total in a Montreat kit to 155.
Weissenfluh's third and final stop in the 74
th minute proved to be the Rams' final go at goal. The Cavs held possession for an extended period late in the frame, seeing out a 1-0 shutout in the process.
Statistically, both sides played a competitive match. Montreat owned the slight upper hand in shots (12-11), shots on goal (4-3) and corner kicks (4-3). Each team tallied three saves and six fouls on the night.
Harpel scored an unassisted game-winning goal with one of her two shot attempts. Cruz Manon led the hosts with four total shots, including one on target. Hall also notched a try on frame out of her two attempts. Weissenfluh recorded a 90-minute shutout in net, making three saves.
Up next, the Montreat College women's soccer team hosts Warren Wilson College in nonconference play on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Pulliam Stadium in Black Mountain, N.C.
