WilmU Gives Holy Family First CACC Loss in Wildcats’ Third Straight Shutout, 3-0

The bench reacts after Jimena Garcia Risoto (29) scored to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead against Holy Family. Copyright 2021; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Trudy Spence. October 20, 2021 vs. Holy Family.
The bench reacts after Jimena Garcia Risoto (29) scored to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead against Holy Family. Copyright 2021; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Trudy Spence. October 20, 2021 vs. Holy Family.

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NEWARK, Del. - - A battle between two of the top four teams in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference standings ended with the Wilmington University women's soccer team giving Holy Family its first conference loss of the year, 3-0, on Wednesday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.

The win gives the Wildcats the third best winning percentage in the CACC at 5-1-1, but are fourth in points with 16 with one less game played than Holy Family (7-1), Jefferson (7-1), and Dominican (6-2). The Wildcats are now 8-3-2- overall after the win.

On Thursday, the Tigers had a few early chances in the game, but then it was all Wilmington for the rest of the first half. They ended up outshooting the Tigers, 8-5, in the half, creating multiple opportunities as well.

Kasie Lambert tested the Tiger goalkeeper in the opening minute, but her shot was distance was stopped off the turf by Alayna McSeed. Lauren Hoelke then had a chance from the left side, but her attempt went off the top of the crossbar and out of play in the 26th minute.

The Wildcats kept the pressure on and had a breakthrough in the 30th minute. Alexis Johnson was played a ball over the top and she chased it down into the box. She was brought down from behind, earning a penalty kick. Kasie Lambert stepped in and delivered her second goal from the spot on the year, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

Johnson was once again played over the top and was in on the goalkeeper alone with 8:00 minutes left in the half, but the Tiger defense tracked back to stop Johnson. But Johnson stuck with the ball and laid it off to a charging Jimena Garcia Risoto at the top of the box. Garcia Risoto went to the far post with a low shot, finding the side netting for the 2-0 lead late in the half.

After the break, the Wildcats kept up the constant pressure, nearly resulting in a goal off the foot of Krysta Memis. But McSeed went fully stretched out to snare it out of the top corner in the 52nd minute.

But Memis would find her goal, giving the Wildcats an insurance mark in the 71st minute. Jimena Garcia Risoto laid a ball off for Manuela Restrepo who flicked it up over the back line to allow Memis to run on to it. Memis then flicked the ball up and over the charging McSeed, scoring her fourth goal of the year.

The Wildcats outshot the Tigers, 15-8, with the corners being even, 3-3. Emily Camp made four saves and Emily Navarrete cleared a ball off the line for a team save as well. Camp and the Wildcats defense have not allowed a goal in 283:36 of game time, recording their third straight shutout. They have only allowed two goals to Bridgeport in the last 587:53 minutes of game time.

Wilmington has a short turnaround, and will face another team in the top four of the CACC, when they head to Dominican on Friday morning. The opening whistle is set for 11:30 a.m. in Orangeburg, N.Y.