Engels Goal Is Winner For Lee Women's Soccer

On a near perfect Sunday afternoon it could not have turned out any better for the Lee women’s soccer team against GSC rival West Florida. Senior Riley Engels thrilled the crowd, her teammates and the coaches when she went one-on-one with the Argonaut goalkeeper at the 86:12 mark to drill her shot into the right side of the goal to give the 18th-ranked Lady Flames the 1-0 victory.

“In tight games like this where chances are few and far between, you need a moment of brilliance and Riley (Engels) delivered.

I was very proud of the team and the effort today. We had to make sure we competed for the entire 90 minutes and we did just that,” said highly-pleased Lee head coach Chris Hennessey.

Lee improved to 8-2 overall but more importantly 3-1 in GSC play. West Florida dropped to 7-3 and 4-2. The win was made even more important as the Lady Flames will leave the Lee Soccer Field and face four straight conference opponents before returning home to face West Alabama and Alabama Huntsville on Nov. 1 and Nov. 3.

“Overall, it was a very positive weekend and now we have to keep working hard and build off it,” Hennessey concluded.

The two GSC powers battled back and forth the entire afternoon. The Argonauts attempted 13 shots and seven were on goal. Lee keeper red-shirt senior Taylor Green had seven key saves and improved her record to 8-2.

Up and down the roster, the Lady Flames fought hard. Junior Riley Henry was in and out with a leg injury. Sophomores Avery Engels, Julia Kaset, and Lauren Weimer along with juniors Anna Lanter and Devin Healy, freshman Kate Dirkse joined Green in playing the entire 90 minutes. Junior Kelsey Yoder joined her teammates with 83 minutes.

West Florida kept the pressure on with nine corner kicks (seven in second half) and Lee was awarded just three corners. The Lady Flames fired nine shots and five were on target, including the game winner. The Argos’ Estheanny Barreras recorded four saves as her record dropped to 7-3.