Box Score Maryville College won their season opener on Wednesday night, as the Scots defeated Brevard College, 2-0, under the lights.
Bailey Sipos and Taylor Frizen recorded a goal each in the victory, while Abbey Coleman turned away four Tornado shots to preserve the shutout.
Sipos' goal comes in her return from injury last season, while Frizen continues her torrid pace from a year ago.
"I tell you what, they make us a better team," Head Coach Pepe Fernandez said. "They make it fun to watch, and I thought it was a great team effort tonight. More than anything, it's just so good to see soccer back on this field. I started adding it up, and it's been over 450 days since we played a game on this field. To see our Maryville College kids back playing – in every sport, not just soccer – it's really something special."
Maryville got on the board in the 34th minute. Maryville crossed the ball into the box, as Lexie Hill collected it in the top of the box. The ball was touched away by a Brevard defender, as Sipos found it just inside the 18. She lofted a high shot just out of Rebeccah Rojas' reach, giving the Scots a 1-0 lead.
At the half, Maryville led 11-3 on shots, with five of those being on goal. Scots' keeper Abbey Coleman recorded a pair of saves in the first half to keep the Tornados scoreless.
Sipos, Jenna Clothier, Hailey Cartt and Katie O'Brien had two shots each, as Sipos had two of MC's five on frame.
Maryville added a second goal just after the half. Clothier took a corner kick across the box from left to right, as Cartt collected it on the back side with a header. Her touch went back across the box, finding an open Taylor Frizen. She headed a blast into the lower left side of the goal for a 2-0 MC lead in the 47th minute.
The Scots outshot the Tornados, 25-6, on the afternoon, as MC found frame 11 times. Two of those went for goals, while the Scots' defense held tough.
"When you get down to it, just having kids on the field is the most important thing," Fernandez said. "I think for not playing as long as they did, I think we played pretty good soccer. I think from back to front, starting with our goalkeeper, we were solid. We weren't perfect. We have a lot of things to work on, but I think we were very solid. Just to overcome everything that's going on to be out here to play, that's what's important."
Clothier tallied five shots on the night with three on goal, as she added an assist to her stat line. Sipos had four shots, two on target, with a goal, while Frizen added four shots and a goal. Cartt added an assist with three shots, as Hill also added a trio of shots.
For Brevard, their six-shot attack was spread across six players.
Maryville will have a couple days off, before they face off with Piedmont College on Saturday, Feb. 20. First touch is slated for 5:30 p.m.
