LEXINGTON, Va. -- Senior Kelsey Pardue/Richmond and junior Kelsey McDonald/Kennett Square, Pennsylvania each scored first-half goals to lead Longwood University to a 3-0 Big South Conference women’s soccer victory on the road at VMI on Wednesday afternoon in Lexington.  Freshman Gina D’Orazio/Moseley added a goal in second half for the visiting Lancers (4-5-2, 3-0 Big South), who won their third-straight league match, while graduate student Shelby Hall/Purcellville made four saves for the shutout against the host Keydets (2-8, 0-3 Big South).  Longwood will host Big South opponent and in-state rival Radford University on Saturday night, October 5 at 7 p.m. at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.
    
“This is one of the toughest places in the league to get a result,” said 20th-year head coach Todd Dyer ‘93.  “VMI is always organized, combative and very difficult to break down.  The early goal helped open up the game and that enabled us to get the second goal and build some momentum.
    
“No rest for the weary, though, with a big game against Radford this Saturday.”
    
Longwood jumped ahead 1-0 when McDonald scored her first goal of the season at 1:07, unassisted with a shot from a deflection inside the box.  Pardue made it 2-0 with her third goal of the season, and in as many matches, at 21:04 with an assist credited to sophomore Olivia Colella/Herndon.  The Lancers increased their advantage to 3-0 when D’Orazio scored her second goal of the season early in the second half at 54:13, assisted by freshman Amanda Spencer/Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, who played the ball to the left side before D’Orazio beat her defender and was good on her shot past the keeper into the net.  The Longwood defense and Hall did the rest as the team posted its fifth shutout this season, and third-straight to open conference action.
    
Longwood had a 15-9 advantage in shots, including 9-4 in attempts on goal, and the Lancers led 9-2 on corner kicks.  McDonald had three shots, two on goal, while Colella and D'Orazio each had two shots, both on goal, respectively.  Hall, this week’s Big South Defensive Player of the Week, played the duration in front of the net with the four saves for her fifth shutout this season.
   
Kristen Whitehurst had two shots, each on goal for VMI, while Liz Nickerson played the first 45:00 with four saves for the Keydets, and Emily Marbury played the second 45:00 with two saves.  VMI will host Winthrop on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m.
    
Longwood improved its all-time series record against VMI to 9-0-1 with its sixth-straight win versus the Keydets.
    
Longwood is 5-4-1 all-time against Radford since first meeting in 2004, including a 2-0 win by the Highlanders in the semifinals of the Big South Championship last season.  The Lancers and Radford have also played two overtime matches, including a 0-0 tie in Radford last fall during the regular season contest.  The Highlanders are the two-time defending league tournament champions.  Admission is free to all Longwood women’s soccer regular season matches.

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