Eastern Mennonite University

BUENA VISTA, Va. - The Royals traveled down south in the state to take on the Southern Virginia Knights in a rainy Friday night matchup.
 
Both teams managed to score in the first half, but it was the Knights who took the lead, holding a 2-1 lead at the break. The Royals equalized early in the second half but failed to take the win after SVU scored two more goals to wrap up the game with a 4-2 win.
 
Records
EMU 0-2-2, 0-0 ODAC | Southern Virginia  1-4-0, 0-0-0 USA South
 
Highlights 

• It was a good start from both teams, who set a very intense pace from the very first minute. The Royals stood solid defensively until the 18th minute, when the Knights managed to score their first goal of the night after a through ball that the EMU defenders couldn't intercept.
• Despite the goal, the Royals kept in high spirits and found their first goal of the match in the 19th minute. It all started after a shot was taken by Hannah Kepler on the right side of the box that the Knights' goalkeeper successfully captured. However, immediately after the goalkeeper put the ball in play, the Knights' defender lost the ball to Ella Nguyen, who chipped the ball over the goalkeeper's head to make it all equal again.
• The Knights' lead could have increased after that goal, had it not been for EMU's goalkeeper, CJ Jefferson, who had two big saves to keep the Royals in the game. First, in the 21st minute, after a shot taken by the Knights outside of the box, which made Jefferson dive and send the ball over the crossbar. The second big moment of the night for the Royals' goalkeeper would come in the 34th minute after a double save.
• The Royals took a rough hit after conceding a goal right before the end of the first half. The goal came in the 44th minute after a shot from a cross into the box by the Knights that the Royals' defenders were unable to clear away.
• At the start of the second half, the Royals came back to the field and put up a fight after that late first-half goal by the Knights. Their efforts proved successful when, in the 55th minute, Bridget Hay scored after a high through ball from Michelle Thompson, that the Knights' goalkeeper failed to intercept, leaving the goal wide open for EMU's second goal of the night.
• The two-all tie wouldn't last long after the Knights scored their third goal of the night just a minute later, when the Knights' striker successfully struck the ball after a cross. They found their fourth goal of the night in the 70th minute after a header from a corner kick to set what would be the final score of the match.

 
Statistical Leaders
Goals: Nguyen (1), Hay (1)
Saves: Jefferson (3), Gabi Dewey (6)
 
What's Next
The Royals will be back in action on Sunday for a home matchup against the Methodist University Monarchs. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm.

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