Final Score: Lipscomb - 0, Troy - 1
Location: Troy, Ala. (Troy Soccer Complex)
Records: Lipscomb (2-2-1), Troy (2-2-0)
NASHVILLE, TN. – Lipscomb was unable to get a road win against Troy as they remained scoreless to fall 1-0 to the Trojans.
The game started slow for both teams, combining for just seven shots in the first 23 minutes of the match. Troy's defensive tactic against the Bisons consisted of punching the ball out the sideline to prevent Lipscomb from finding any chance of a scoring opportunity. Unable to gain momentum on the offensive end, the Bisons relied on their defense for the first portion of the game to stop Troy from beating them to the punch.
The officiating crew called for a water break in the 24' minute, after which the Trojans came back to the pitch with aggression on the offensive end. Troy looked to attack the Bisons' defense and maintain possession of the ball, which led to some promising looks for the first score of the game. Despite their best efforts, however, the Trojans were unable to break Lipscomb's defense. In the first half, the Bisons defended against nine shots, two on goal, preventing all of them from finding the net.
Conversely, Lipscomb recorded only four shots in the first 45 minutes of the match with just two being on goal, something that the Bisons have seldom struggled with this season. Lipscomb averaged 15.25 shots per game up to kickoff against Troy and ranked first in the ASUN conference in shots with 61 in their first four matches. With Lipscomb's offense being considerably slowed down, they were unable to apply pressure to Troy's defense.
Lipscomb opened the second half of the game determined to score a goal, attacking Troy's defense from the get-go.
Jaide-Simone Prejean headed the offensive effort, consistently forcing the Trojans to keep up with her attack efforts.
Troy scored the game-winning goal in the 54' minute off a free kick. The Trojans' goalkeeper was able to place the ball precisely for a header outside of Swoopes's reach, giving Troy the first lead of the game.
Lipscomb nearly converted on a few scoring opportunities in the second half, one in the 67' minute via header by
London De Fini set up by
Lucy Ream. De Fini's header was just barely too high, grazing just over the crossbar.
Kiara Pralle also recorded a promising attack for Bisons fans at the 74' minute mark, but her shot was saved by the Trojans' goalkeeper. The final scoring opportunity for Lipscomb fans to hold on hope to was Pralle's attack in the 87' minute, which was called offsides and negated by the officials.
After Lipscomb's slow offensive start, the Bisons ended the game with a total of 13 shots and six shots on goal. Pralle led Lipscomb in shots with two, both of which were on goal. Bisons goalkeeper
Lauren Swoopes ended the match with three saves.
Lipscomb women's soccer plays their next match at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex on Sept. 8
th. The Bisons will take on Coastal Carolina with a noon kickoff in hopes of getting back in the win column.
