BOX SCORE COLUMBUS, Ohio - Homestanding Capital became the first team this season to score a goal on Wittenberg in a 2-0 non-conference women's soccer victory on Wednesday at Bernlohr Stadium.
The Crusaders (6-2-1) are now unbeaten in their last four matches and have a 6-0-1 record overall against opponents from the Great Lakes Region. Wittenberg, which is ranked No. 3 in this week's NSCAA Great Lakes Regional Poll, lost its first match of the season (4-1-3).
Both sides played back and forth in the first 20 minutes of action until Capital connected on an offensive chance to become the first team in 645 minutes of play this season to put the ball past Wittenberg goalkeeper Melissa Gartner.
Sophomore Tara Zimmer (Vandalia, Ohio/Vandalia-Butler HS) fed a ball forward to senior Katie Robinson (Grove City, Ohio/Bishop Ready HS) on the left side of the box. The 2008 OAC Forward of the Year beat one defender and poked the ball low and into the corner of the net for a 1-0 Crusader lead in the 24th minute.
Wittenberg had a few quality chances to know the score on either side of halftime, but on two different occasions reigning OAC Player of the Week Linley Vermillion (Englewood, Ohio/Northmont HS) made diving saves to keep the Tigers off the board. Overall, Vermillion made seven saves to post her second consecutive shutout.
Capital added some insurance in the 83rd minute when it took its fourth and final corner kick from the right side of the goal. Senior Ciara McClellan (Worthington, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne HS) punched the ball from the corner to the middle of the box where it found the head of junior Kaylee Phillips (Watkins, Ohio/Watkins Memorial HS). Phillips redirected the ball into the near corner for a 2-0 CU victory.
The Crusaders will remain at home to play host to Thomas More on CU Youth Soccer Day on Sunday. The women will begin the doubleheader at 1 p.m. followed by the men at 3 p.m. with special events planned throughout the day for youth soccer programs in the Columbus area.