MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Freshmen Nicole Payne and Julianne Vallerand registered a brace each as the No. 23 West Virginia women’s soccer team powered past Stony Brook, 6-1, on Thursday at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Payne and Vallerand became the first pair of freshmen in program history to score two goals each in the same match. Sophomore midfielder Isabella Sibley and freshman Gabby Hollar also scored in the win.
“I think that there were moments where the offense was able to break down Stony Brook,” Izzo-Brown said. “In the first half, they just kept going and going. Then, they just were getting their job done. They set pieces and run to play and just were looking to combine, and their (Stony Brook’s) goalkeeper had a great game. I think we wore them down a little bit and we were able to find to those pillars.”
The Mountaineers (3-2-1) struck first in the 10th minute as Vallerand rebounded her own blocked shot off a Stony Brook defender and chipped the ball into the left side of the net to give WVU an early 1-0 lead.
After 30 minutes of scoreless play, Payne broke through Stony Brook’s backline, courtesy of a thorough pass from senior Kayla Morrison and outmaneuvered the Seawolves goalie before hitting a left-footed shot into the back of the net. The assist marked Morrison’s first career point as a Mountaineer.
The goal gave WVU a 2-0 edge at the half while holding a 7-2 shot advantage over the Seawolves.
Stony Brook scored its lone goal of the night in the 60th minute before Vallerand scored her second unassisted goal of the contest just two minutes later. The goal gave Vallerand her fifth of the season and her second brace of the year after she netted two against High Point on August 30. She leads the team with 11 points on the year.
Payne continued the offensive barrage in the 67th minute as she broke through the defense once again to score her second goal of the game. The score marked Payne’s third of the season, while Lizzie Mayfield was credited with her first assist of the year and the fifth of her career.
Sibley wasted no time putting WVU’s fifth goal in the net as she took a heel pass from freshman Enzi Broussard just outside of the box and sent a shot that went just over the outstretched arms of the Seawolves’ goalkeeper. The goal was the first of the season for Sibley and the second of her career, while Broussard tallied her second assist of the season.
Hollar wrapped up scoring with her first career goal on a perfectly-placed header in the 89th minute as West Virginia earned the 6-1 win.
The Mountaineers will face its fourth ranked opponent in as many weeks Sunday as it takes on No. 15 Georgetown at 1 p.m. Washington, D.C.
