The Miami Hurricanes closed out their non-conference schedule with a resounding four to one victory over the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions.
Head Soccer Coach Ken Masuhr told Hurricanes Athletics that he was “proud of [Miami’s] response in the second half tonight.”
“After we scored early, I felt our group didn’t quite meet the expectations that we set out for ourselves and our halftime talk reflected that. We responded and scored some very good goals. We also were able to get a number of players their first collegiate minutes. It was exciting to watch and I am looking forward to carrying this momentum into ACC play.”
Looking to build off of two straight home wins against Missouri and Florida International, the Miami squad came out on a mission to let their presence be known. At Cobb Stadium on Thursday, the ‘Canes dominated from the opening moments under partly cloudy skies in Coral Gables. A goal in the third minute from ascending forward Kyla Gallagher set the tone for what was to come in the match.
After allowing a tying goal by the Lady Lions in the match’s twenty-third minute, the Hurricanes went into the locker room with the score even at one. This, however, did not last for long.
As the second half opened, star freshman forward Giovana Canali blitzed a ball straight down the middle of the field in the forty-sixth minute which hit the back of the net after a deflection. Canali added to her team-leading mark of three goals, but watch out for Gallagher to catch up in the near future. Her two goals on the night moved her into second place in the category, with her second goal coming in the seventy-first minute off a deflected pass from Tori Grambo.
The other goal on the night for Miami came from freshman Ciara Alarcon. This marks the first goal in a Hurricanes uniform for the newcomer from West Palm Beach.
The Hurricanes made some history with Thursday night’s result, including the most goals that they have collectively had in a match in three years. Additionally, the ‘Canes have won three games in a row, the most they have stacked in a row in seven years.
As Miami moves into the gauntlet of Atlantic Coast Conference play, where five of the top ten teams in the country reside, it is important for the group to sustain the momentum that they have built. They will look to begin this quest on Thursday, September 12.
The number four ranked team in the country, the Virginia Cavaliers, visit Cobb Stadium for what should be an action-packed matchup with the Miami squad at 7:00 pm.