Kim Warner’s four goals led the GW women’s soccer team over visiting American 4-2 Wednesday, ending the Colonials three-game losing streak and launching them into this weekend’s Atlantic 10 conference-opener on a high note.
Warner, who now leads the team with eight goals on the season, “can at times do anything she wants,” GW head coach Tanya Vogel said.
GW (3-4) controlled the match from the opening kickoff, dominating the pace with consistent offensive pressure. Warner’s first goal was unassisted, as she capitalized on an American defensive mistake and put the ball past Eagle goalkeeper Lauren Wohl in the 26th minute.
Vogel has said her team can be lax on defense, which allowed 12 goals in the past three games. It showed two minutes later when American (2-5-2) tied the game at one apiece. American’s Savannah Rennels launched the ball past GW freshman goalkeeper Kelly Paolucci from 25 yards out for her tenth goal of the season. Paolucci started in place of junior Christine O’Malley and had 10 saves in the game.
But Vogel said her defenseshowed the biggest improvement of the day and American’s game-tying goal woke the Colonials up. They piled on the defensive pressure for the rest of the game. Warner scored again in the 34th minute, set up by freshman Lise Backman, who passed the ball right into Warner’s stride.
Warner almost completed her hat trick at the end of the first half, but her shot, with time running out, ricocheted off Wohl’s head.
With a 2-1 lead, the Colonials started the second half slowly but soon resumed control as senior forward Kimberley Sanders nearly scored in the 62nd minute.
Six minutes later the Colonials did score, as Warner took advantage of another miscommunication between American defenders and notched the hat trick. Warner scored her fourth goal on an assist from sophomore forward Meghan Cracker in the 75th minute.
GW did not let up and allowed American’s only other goal with time running out in the 90th minute. The Colonials out-shot American 18-15.
GW heads to Richmond, Va. Saturday night for a 7:30 p.m. match against the Spiders (3-2-1). Vogel said she expects her team to give the talented Richmond squad “respect, but not too much respect.”