By: Ellen Laws
Gardner-Webb’s women’s soccer team tied 1-1 with the Longwood Lancers on Saturday afternoon at the Greene-Harbison stadium, keeping Gardner-Webb inside the top half of the Big South standings.
Holding a 1-0 lead after Gardner-Webb’s Shelby Hooe scored in the 71st minute, Longwood midfielder, Amanda Spencer, beat the buzzer and sent the game to overtime and a draw.
Despite the draw, the last home game of the season was a special time for the seniors on Gardner-Webb’s women’s soccer team.
“Senior night represents all the hard work that us seniors have put in to our sport,” said defender Tori James. She recalled the beginning of her soccer journey, taking pictures with milk mustaches during 3v3 tournaments at the beach.
“It transformed over the years into being a competitive D-1 soccer player where we take ‘mean muggin’ pictures,” said James. “Senior night represents this transformation and how much soccer has been a part of all of our lives and our family’s lives. I know I could not have made it here without the love and support of my parents.”
Defender, Brooke Kelly, said that she remembers watching the seniors take the field during her freshman year and thinking, “‘I’ve got so much time ‘til I’m a senior.’ Well those 4 years sure did go by fast,” said Kelly. “It is unreal being a senior this year.”
Kelly added that it has been “an honor” to represent Gardner-Webb as a women’s soccer player. “When I put that jersey, I am representing my teammates, coaches, friends, family, the community of GWU and most importantly, God,” she said.
James said that she’s taking in and making the most of every practice, sprint and early workouts before her time as a student athlete comes to an end.
“I write Colossians 3:23 on my wrist every game day. This verse reminds me that no matter what happens on game day to work in that role with everything that I have,” said James. “Whether I start and play all 90 minutes or play zero minutes, I give everything I have and give the glory to the Lord.”
Gardner-Webb women’s soccer will be heading into a road matchup at Radford on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m
