MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Alli Magaletta put No. 2 West Virginia ahead in the 41st minute before Michaela Abam and Ashley Lawrence tacked on second-half goals within a span of six minutes to lift the Mountaineers past previously unbeaten Princeton 3-0 on Friday night.
Playing in front of the fifth-best women’s soccer crowd in stadium history, WVU pushed its unbeaten home streak to 30, the 11th best all-time NCAA mark.
The Mountaineers (7-0-1) got a career-high five saves from Michelle Newhouse, but the team’s fourth shutout of the season was preserved in the 50th minute when Sh’Nia Gordon kicked away a chance by defender Jesse McDonough at the right post off a corner kick. The Tigers (6-1) were outshot 20-9.
“This team always has a good energy,” said West Virginia coach Niki Izzo-Brown, whose team climbed to the second spot in this week’s NCAA coaches poll. “They knew how important this game would be, especially playing at home against an undefeated Princeton. They just really enjoy playing competition and a team like Princeton.”
Magaletta’s first goal for WVU went down as a game-winner.
After a hard foul on Hannah Abraham outside the box, Carla Portillo slammed a free kick off the crossbar. The rebound fell just outside the goal box, where Ashley Woolpert headed the ball into the air. Fighting for position, Magaletta got her head on the ball.
“A team like Princeton, the longer you keep them around, the more dangerous they become,” Izzo-Brown said. “We knew that. It was frustrating, but we finally put one away in the first half. We couldn’t get a couple in that we wanted in earlier.”
WVU quickly pushed its lead to two goals early in the second half, as leading scorer Abam connected on an easy opportunity after a cross from Gordon.
The Mountaineers’ third score came via penalty kick.
Portillo again jump-started the scoring play, sending a through ball to a streaking Lawrence up the right side of the field. As Lawrence pushed ahead, Tiger midfielder Natalie Larkin gave chase from behind before taking the quick senior midfielder down. Lawrence shook off the foul and stepped up to the penalty-kick line and connected for her first goal of the season.
The Mountaineers return to Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Sunday afternoon against No. 18 Georgetown (7-1) at 1 p.m.