MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - Berry's women's soccer team defeated Belhaven, 3-1, Saturday afternoon at Bob Pearson Field for its first win of the 2022 season.
Mia Ries scored twice in the first half, while
Nicole Knight scored the opening goal to help the Vikings to a 3-0 lead at halftime. "Through training, the girls are so uplifting and encouraging so that all I want to do is perform for not only myself, but the team," said Ries. "Putting those two goals in the back of the net really just solidifies that I'm in the right place and I'm doing the right things."
Berry (1-1) opened the scoring in the 16th minute as
Karsen Brantley passed to Knight at the top of the box. Knight's shot from the keeper's left side found the upper corner for the freshman's first collegiate goal, making it 1-0.
In the 36th minute,
Hannah Henn fed Ries down the right hand side of the offensive zone. The freshman's shot from a tough angle looped past the keeper and bounced off the far post and in, doubling Berry's lead to 2-0.
In the 43rd minute,
Haylee Stephens found Ries inside the box. Ries drove a shot that deflected into the upper half of the goal, giving the freshman her second goal of the game and giving the Vikings an insurmountable 3-0 lead.
"We obviously had a great response to a difficult loss on Thursday," said Berry head coach
Kathy Brown. "It was a quick turnaround, and I'm happy with putting it behind us, not making mistakes, and coming out to get a win at home."
Belhaven would score in the second half as Lauren Samford scored off a rebound at close range to make it 3-1 in the 65th minute. Berry's defense would clamp down the rest of the way, holding the Blazers to just six shots in the contest while the Vikings had 15.
Berry will be back in action next Friday at Southern Virginia University with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
