DAVIDSON, N.C. — The senior tandem of
Blakely Low (San Antonio, Texas) and
Kyri Bye-Nagel (Hanau, Germany) scored a goal each in the early going, and the Wildcat defense took care of the rest in sending Davidson to a 2-0 shutout win over visiting Elon in women's Southern Conference soccer action on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.
Davidson tallied its second straight league win to even its mark at 2-2-0, while improving to 5-8-0 overall. Elon, coming into the game winners of five straight, fell to 7-3-1 overall and took its first league loss to fall to 3-1-0 on the year.
Fresh off sending UNC Greensboro to its first defeat in 33 league games over three years with a 2-1 victory on Friday night, the 'Cats carried that momentum right into their contest against Elon, which was also riding on a high having not only won five straight, but also gotten off to its best start in league play. Davidson didn't waste any time in taking a quick lead behind their two leading scorers on the season in Low and Bye-Nagel, and then shutting down the Phoenix attack the remainder of the game.
Low got the scoring rolling at the 3:54 mark when she netted her fourth goal of the season for a 1-0 lead. Fellow classmate
Suzanne Sittko (Greenwood Village, Colo.) set Low up when she sent a ball to her just outside the 18-yard box in the middle of the field. Low gathered in the pass, squared around and drilled a shot to the near post, going top shelf for her 15th career score.
The Wildcats' tacked on an insurance goal eight minutes later off the foot of Bye-Nagel. The senior forward played a ball that was mishandled by the Elon defense in the box, dribbled twice to reach the six-yard box and fired off a shot that found the back of the net past a diving Sydney Little of the Phoenix for a 2-0 Davidson lead.
It was Bye-Nagel's third goal of the season and team-leading eighth and ninth points of the year. She needs five more goals to crack the top-five in the Wildcat record books for most goals in a career as she sits at 25. She picked up an assist in Friday's win over the Spartans.
Elon tried to break through, but got off just two shots on goal, one each from Shannon Foley and Brittany Hallberg as goalkeeper
Jessie Baxa (Bloomfield, Mich.) denied both shot attempts, including a diving stab at Foley's attempt 37 seconds into the start of the second half.
The Phoenix had a 6-4 advantage in corners, but the Wildcat defense led by
Amanda Flink (Richardson, Texas),
Sophie Newsom (Atlanta, Ga.) and
Louise Timboe (Littleton, Colo.) cleared out each scoring attempt.
The shutout was the 'Cats third of the season and Baxa's first of the year in goal as she closed with two saves. Little earned 11 saves for Elon.
Davidson held a five-shot advantage, 15-10, in the game, while placing 13 of those shots on goal that included the two that found the back of the net.
Davidson wraps up its three-game homestand with a 7 p.m. contest against College of Charleston on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Scoring Summary
3:54 DAV
Blakely Low (4) (
Suzanne Sittko)
11:50 DAV
Kyri Bye-Nagel (3) (unassisted)