The Longwood women’s soccer team gave up two goals in the final 15 minutes as they lost to Youngstown State 3-1 on Sept. 4. The loss dropped the Lancers to 1-4-0 this season, as their bumpy start to the season continued in Youngstown, Oh.
Two days after beating Duquesne for their first win of the season, senior forward Christina Corbin’s 17th minute goal looked to continue the Lancers’ turnaround. But just 61 seconds later, the Penguins equalized through junior midfielder Ernestina Abambila.
Despite Longwood controlling the run of play and outshooting the home side 9-5, the two sides went into the break level at 1-1. Their inability to make that control count would cost head coach Todd Dyer’s side in the second half.
"We continue to find ways to beat ourselves, and our level of opposition is always going to take advantage of that,” said Dyer on the official Longwood athletics website. “All we can do is own up to where we stand right now and figure out a way to be better on both sides of the ball."
The second half was a different story to the opening 45 minutes as Youngstown State took control. The Penguins’ offensive pressure broke through in the 77th minute as Abambila notched her second goal to give the home side a 2-1 lead. Abambila turned provider in the 85th minute, teeing up sophomore midfielder Madison Hughes to finish the game out for Youngstown State.
Defensive woes continue to plague the Lancers, who have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their five games this season. Meanwhile the offense has begun to click, as they outshot the Penguins 13-12, but is still not firing on all cylinders, as evidenced by eight offside calls on Sunday.
The Lancers will look to put their rough start to the season behind them as they face American University on Sept. 8 in Washington D.C.
