Box Score ST. AUGUSTINE – Getting two second-half goals from Lavinia Nkomo, and a goal and two assists from Amanda Traynor, 13th-ranked Barry pulled away in the latter stages Thursday night to earn a season-opening 3-0 win over Florida Southern.
Thursday's non-conference match marked the fourth time in four years under current head coach Brittany Jones that Florida Southern played a top-25 team in the opening weekend of the season. The Moccasins tied Lenoir-Rhyne in one of them last year and held their own in this one too until Barry scored twice in the final 25 minutes to put the game away. Both of those goals came from Nkomo, the reigning Sunshine State Conference Player-of-the-Year.
Barry led 1-0 at halftime thanks to a fifth-minute goal by Traynor. Taking a short pass off the foot of Shanice Robe from the top left corner of the penalty box, Traynor was able to loft a 15-yard shot into the top left corner of the net for the icebreaker. Despite the early deficit though, Florida Southern clamped down on the Buccaneers for the remainder of the first half, and much of the second.
After that goal by Traynor, the Mocs' back line of seniors Christine Knudstrup and Gianna Conte, and sophomores Jess Goedde and Juliana Guida limited the Bucs to only one shot during a 57-minute stretch spanning both halves before Nkomo' scored her first goal in the 65th minute. She later scored again in the 89th, with both goals assisted by Traynor.
The Buccaneers outshot the Moccasins 13-3 in the match, with sophomores Izzy Loyd and Madi Colaw giving FSC its best opportunities to score. Loyd hit one just over the crossbar in the 27th minute, and Colaw poked one just wide in the 88th after a corner kick by Loyd.
The Mocs also threatened on a pair of free kicks in the second half that were sent into the box by Goedde and freshman Anna Griessler, but each time Barry goalkeeper Paula Forero was able to punch them clear.
Florida Southern sophomore goalkeeper Helena Norrstrom made six saves in her first career start.
Florida Southern will return to St. Augustine on Sunday to play Flagler College in a match scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
