FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State defeated West Liberty 3-0 on Sunday in the Mountain East Conference opener for the both teams at Duvall-Rosier Field. The Falcons outshot the Hilltoppers 21-6 and put eight shots on goal while allowing three. The Falcons scored once in the first half and twice in the second, and their goalkeeper totals included two saves over 90 minutes in the shutout. The result moved the Falcons to 3-0-0 overall and 1-0-0 in league play, while the Hilltoppers fell to 0-2-1 and 0-1-0.
Arrington Sparks put the Falcons in front at 13:59, finishing a chance set up by
Serenity Thomas and
Dayra Dinarte for a 1-0 lead. Earlier, the Falcons created the first sustained attacking stretch, with
Sam Yuen and Thomas taking shots before the Falcons earned two corner kicks in less than a minute.
The Hilltoppers generated two first-half corner kicks and one shot, but the Falcons kept the visitors off the scoreboard while continuing to push forward. The closing minutes turned physical with seven fouls from 34:59 to 43:59, and the Falcons added late attempts from
Payton Parliament,
Dahlia Welter,
Stephanie Pedias and
Valentina Gianinetto before taking a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The Falcons put the match away in the second half, with
Agnes Bjork scoring in the 72nd minute to make it 2-0 and Dinarte adding another in the 81st for a 3-0 lead. Earlier in the half,
Olivia Johnston handled a shot by Rylee Stottlemyer in the 47th minute before the Falcons answered with sustained pressure, including a Pedias shot on frame and a stretch with two more shots and three corner kicks between the 56th and 59th minutes.
The Falcons kept pressing after Bjork's goal, as
Arrington Sparks missed left and
Braylyn Sparks hit the top woodwork, while Johnston and the defense dealt with back-to-back Hilltoppers shots in the 77th minute. After Dinarte's goal, the Falcons took three more shots and a corner in the closing minutes, with Welter and
Calloway Segeleon forcing saves as the Falcons finished off the 3-0 win.
Dinarte scored on her lone shot on goal and added an assist for three points.
Arrington Sparks scored the first goal and game-winning goal, putting one of her two shots on frame. Bjork converted her only shot for a goal. Johnston played all 90 minutes in goal, made two saves and finished with a shutout.
Fairmont State hits the road on Wednesday, September 9 to face Davis & Elkins College. Start time from Elkins, West Virginia is slated for 7:00 p.m.
