TENNERTON – Following a loss on Saturday that snapped their eight-game winning streak, and having their Tuesday game with East Fairmont postponed because of COVID-19 protocols, the Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Buc soccer team was happy to be back on the field Thursday evening in a home Big 10 Conference encounter with the Robert C. Byrd Eagles.
The Lady Bucs controlled play throughout the 80 minutes for a 6-0 win.
Lexi Kelley led the B-U offense with a hat trick with three first-half goals while Hannah Boyles and Cameron Zuliani each added a goal and an assist.
“It felt really good to get back on the field,” remarked Zuliani. “We were disappointed to have our winning streak end. Robert C. Byrd was a fast and physical team, but it felt good to shut them down. I thought we were better today with our passing which opened up some things for us.”
Kelley opened the scoring just two minutes in when she took a throw-in from Zuliani and beat Robert C. Byrd keeper Chandi Currence just a few feet in front of the net.
Her second goal occurred in the 18th minute when she cleaned up a rebound from a shot by Ava Hollen and found the back of the net, treating the Lady Bucs to a 2-0 lead.
Kelley had her third goal just two minutes later when she put in her own rebound, upping the B-U advantage to 3-0, which would be the score at intermission.
Zuliani dribbled inside the 30 and put in an unassisted goal in the 43rd minute making it a 4-0 contest.
Hollen played a pass to Boyles just outside the box and Boyles found the back of the net in the 52nd minute, making it a 5-0 game.
Catherine Oliveto wrapped up the scoring after accepting a pass from Boyles and scoring from eight yards out, just outside the box.
The Lady Bucs owned a 21-3 lead in shots-on-goal and an 11-1 margin in corner kicks.
B-U keeper Kyndal Davis made three saves in the shutout win. Currence made 15 saves for Robert C. Byrd.
The win improved the Lady Bucs to 9-3 overall and 7-0 in the Big 10 Conference.
Tuesday’s game with East Fairmont that was postponed will be made up Friday at East-West Stadium in Fairmont.
Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.
The boxscore:
Robert C. Byrd 0 0 – 0
Buckhannon-Upshur 3 3 – 6
Scoring
Buckhannon-Upshur – Lexi Kelley (Cameron Zuliani assist), 2nd minute.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Kelley (Ava Hollen assist), 18th minute.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Kelley (unassisted), 20th minute.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Zuliani (unassisted), 43rd minute.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Hannah Boyles (Hollen assist), 52 minute.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Catherine Oliveto (Boyles assist), 60th minute.
Shots-on-goal – Robert C. Byrd 3; Buckhannon-Upshur 21.
Corner kicks – Robert C. Byrd 1; Buckhannon-Upshur 11.
Saves – Robert C. Byrd: Chandi Currence 15; Buckhannon-Upshur: Kyndal Davis: 3.
