Box Score For Immediate Release – 9/14/16 - #040
Late Goal Downs WildCats
ROCKY MOUNT, NC – Mehli Marcellus scored with less than three minutes on the clock, giving North Carolina Wesleyan College a 1-0 victory over Randolph College on Wednesday.
Both teams started slowly in the midday, midweek game, as neither team registered a shot in the first five minutes. However, the Battling Bishops were first to get an attempt and sent a shot at the WildCats goal. Quinn-Lynn Bates was there to make the stop. NCWC earned another one shortly after but it went wide.
Bates was called on to make two more saves before the 'Cats had their first shot. But Maggie Croft was blocked. Bates then continued to stand tall in net, while getting timely help from the defense. The goalie made a key stop, while center back Erin McClelland ended a major attack in the 37th minute, clearing a dangerous ball in the box. North Carolina Wesleyan shot three more times but all were off target, as the game went into the half at 0-0.
The second stanza saw the same staunch defending occur on both ends of the field. NCWC had three shots early on, but none found the back of the net, with Bates recording another save. Then almost ten minutes passed before either side posted a shot. Hunter Robinson's attempt went wide, while Bates made another important stop and the post helped her out to keep the score at 0-0.
The push continued for the North Carolina Wesleyan and at the 87:12 mark, Lucida Davids dropped a shot just outside the box, where Marcellus sent it into the back of the net for the win. It was the second-straight heartbreaking loss for the 'Cats.
Bates was outstanding in net all day, as she posted nine saves overall. Ashley Major earned the victory for Battling Bishops (1-1-1 overall).
Randolph (0-3-1) returns home for its next game on Saturday. Southern Virginia University will be the opponent, with the game starting at 7:30 p.m. Kickoff time was moved back 30 minutes from the original because of SVU obligations.
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