App State scored a pair of goals two minutes apart in the second half, underscoring an offensive outburst in a 4-1 win over Troy to move into a tie for second place in the Sun Belt East Division.
The Mountaineers (7-4-5, 4-1-3) emerged from the halftime locker room locked in a 1-1 battle, despite a decisive shooting advantage in the opening half. In the opening ten minutes of the second stanza, App State was able to turn their opportunities into conversions, jumping out to a 3-1 lead after 51 minutes of play.
Stephanie Barbosa netted the go-ahead goal, and eventual game-winner, in the 49th minute of play. Ellie Garrison was able to keep the ball in bounds along the end line and lobbed a pass into the center of the box. A Troy (4-9-2, 0-7-1) defender attempted to clear, but kicked the ball right to Barbosa at the top of the box and the senior buried it into the bottom left corner of the net for her first goal of the season, putting App State ahead, 2-1.
Two minutes later, App State padded its advantage. Barbosa collected a loose ball just beyond midfield and slotted a pass ahead to Izzi Wood, who was able to chip a shot past the Trojan goalkeeper despite getting sandwiched in between two defenders in the process. The goal was Wood’s 11th of the season, tying Casey Cleary (2005) and Jane Cline (2016) for the single-season scoring record. Wood has scored 10 goals in her last 11 matches.
App State finished the match out-shooting the Trojans 20-9 and 12-2 in shots on goal. Wood led the way with seven shots and five on target. She was denied on several point-blank opportunities in the closing minutes of the opening half, which would’ve given the Mountaineers the lead at that point if not for exceptional goalkeeping from Troy’s Nittany Vega.
The Mountaineers opened the scoring just 12 minutes into the contest. Kyli Switalski curled in a left-footed corner kick and Sarah WIdderich headed it home for her first goal of the season.
Freshman Walker Bristow capped the scoring in the 89th minute, scoring her first collegiate goal.
App State will close out the regular season with a pair of challenging matches at home, facing West Division leader Texas State on Sunday at noon, before the season finale against Old Dominion next Thursday at 7 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.
{Information provided by Appalachian State Athletics}
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