CHARLESTON, S.C. - Vanessa Aponte and
Flo Amess scored first half goals to stake The Citadel to a 2-0 lead, and the Bulldogs went on to a 3-1 victory over Charleston Southern on Wednesday at WLI Field.
The game was originally scheduled to be a Buccaneer home contest but was moved to The Citadel's campus due to field conditions at CSU after Tuesday's storms.
The Bulldogs (4-5-0) snapped a four-game losing streak and put themselves in position to claim the Queens Cup, a competition among the three Charleston-based Division I women's soccer programs, when they host College of Charleston on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Aponte added her second goal of the game and third of the season midway through the second half to seal The Citadel's third-straight win over CSU (4-3).
Aponte recorded the third two-goal game of her career and first since 2011, enabling the senior midfielder to move into fourth place in school history with 19 career goals. She also took over the top spot with 220 shots and ranks first with 17 assists and third with 55 points.
Aponte got the scoring started just over nine minutes in when she fired a rocket from the top of box that beat CSU goalkeeper Liz-Amanda Brown. Amess, a graduate student in her second season as a Bulldog, made it 2-0 in the 26th minute when she put in a loose ball that was deflected her way by
Lea Raedle.
The goal was the first of Amess' Citadel career. Raedle, a sophomore, posted her ninth career assist to move into a tie for third in The Citadel record book.
"I think we combined really well on the field today. Every player was focused and determined to win," said Amess. "I'm very happy that we are getting more shots on target and scoring goals. The team will do all it can to bring the Queens Cup to The Citadel."
CSU cut its deficit in half in the 61st minute when Anna Sells scored her Big South-leading sixth goal, but Aponte answered 11 minutes later when her high shot snuck in under the crossbar to produce the final margin.
Both teams had 18 shots with
Naomi Carter making eight saves for the Bulldogs. The Citadel's more aggressive offensive approach also produced seven corner kicks to only four for the Buccaneers.
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