Belmont Abbey Women's Soccer dominates Saint Andrews 5-0 in Opening Round

Crusaders Will Host Winner of Lees-McRae/Mount Olive Match Thursday At 2:00 P.M.

The top-seeded Belmont Abbey women's soccer team outshot the eighth-seeded Saint Andrews Presbyterian Knights 24-0 en route to a 5-0 win in the quarterfinal round of the 2010 Conference Carolinas women's soccer tournament this afternoon at Alumni Field. The Abbey will host the winner of the Lees-McRae/Mount Olive match Thursday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. as it moves to 16-1-2, while the Knights end their season with a record of 3-16.

Belmont Abbey controlled the entire match as the Knights never possessed the ball inside the Abbey 18-yard box as it outshot Saint Andrews 24-0 and held a 9-0 edge in corner kicks. Four different Crusaders found the back of the net as Rebecca Mateo gave the Abbey the lead in the 21st minute, as she stole the ball away from a Knights defender took one dribble and hammered home a shot from the left corner of the box for a 1-0 lead.

Nine minutes later, the advantage grew by one as Alana Ryczek tossed a throw in to Ananda Gebreyesus, who beat her mark down the right sideline and floated a cross to the center of the box, to the waiting head of an unmarked Connie Axiotis. Axiotis one-timed a header into the net for a 2-0 lead.

That was all of the scoring until the 65th minute when junior midfielder Nicole Voets scored back-to-back goals, the first coming on an assist from Kristin Foster. Foster flagged down a Saint Andews clearing attempt, dribbled forward and sent a through ball to Voets, who gained possession with her back to the goal, spun, shot and scored.

15 minutes later, Voets struck again, as Gebreyesus stole the ball from her mark, scootted a pass to the top of the box to Voets, who blasted home her second goal of the match.

With 23 seconds left, Katie Rastello made it 5-0, as she teamed up with classmate Emily Archer to close the scoring. Archer dribbled down the left sideline, beat her mark at the goalline and sent a pass to the six-yard box, where Rastello one-timed the shot past goalkeeper Becca Knott.

Knott made ten saves, while counterpart Anna Donaldson did not face a shot.