ROCKINGHAM — Making their long-awaited home debut on Thursday after four consecutive road games to start the season, the Lady Raider soccer team treated its fans to its second straight win.
Hosting non-conference Terry Sanford High School, Richmond secured a 2-1 victory thanks to a fast start in the second half.
The Lady Bulldogs got on the board in the 11th minute courtesy of a goal by Abby Sherrill from inside the box. That lead would hold until halftime.
Richmond had five of its 14 shots in the opening 40 minutes, and junior center back Bobbie Faircloth made a goal-line save in the 7th minute to keep another Terry Sanford goal off the board.
Following a bouncing ball on a cross that slipped past freshman keeper Quanna Bostic, Faircloth booted the ball to the far sideline right before it rolled into the open net.
Having a chance on net early for Richmond were seniors Destiny Barrick, Ellie Buck and Paxlee Faircloth, along with junior Michala Nachvilova and sophomore Kaleigh Cloninger.
Bostic made charging saves on two runs into the box to maintain a 1-0 deficit going into the break.
Freshman goalkeeper Quanna Bostic makes a save against Abby Sherrill (9) in Thursday’s win. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
The Lady Raiders would score all the goals they needed to win in the first five minutes of the second half.
Nechvilova made a run down the right side and crossed the ball into the six-yard box, where junior Cheyenne Jacobs tapped in an easy goal along the far post.
Her team-leading third goal of the season came in the 41st minute, with Nechvilova getting credit for the assist.
Keeping the offensive pressure on, sophomore Gabby Lutz found twine for the game-winner in the 45th minute.
After the Lady Bulldogs failed to clear the ball out of their defensive end, Lutz corralled a loose ball near the top of the 18-yard box. Taking a touch around a defender, she laced a shot high over the keeper’s hands and under the crossbar for her first goal of the season.
Junior Cheyenne Jacobs (13) scored her team-leading third goal of the season on Thursday. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Adding shots in the second half were Lutz, Jacobs, Nechvilova, sophomores Jenna Gardner and Allie Rodgers, Barrick (2) and Cloninger (2).
One final highlight for Bostic in net was another charging save against Sherrill in the 61st minute, the last threat the Lady Bulldogs (1-4) had on net.
Richmond (3-2) will continue its string of home matches with its Sandhills Athletic Conference opener on Tuesday against Southern Lee High School (0-2-1). Varsity play will get underway at 7 p.m.
JV Lady Raiders shut out Terry Sanford
The Richmond junior varsity girls soccer team also defeated Terry Sanford in its home opener Thursday, rolling to a 7-0 victory.
The JV Lady Raiders scored two goals in the first half before tacking on five goals in the final 35 minutes.
Scoring a game-high two goals was Ashly Gonzalez. Adding one goal each were Mariana Mendoza, Hanna Smith, Genesis Alicea, Alexis Locklear and Karley Simmons.
“This was another great win for us,” head coach Bennie Howard said. “The two goals early were good, and the girls were able to add five more once they started getting the ball wide and connecting passes.”
