PEMBROKE — Anna Grossheim scored five goals to break the UNCP single-game record in a dominating 6-0 senior day win over King in Conference Carolinas action Saturday afternoon at LREMC Stadium.
Mercy Bell tallied the other goal for the Braves, while also adding two assists. Cora Taylor also added an assist for the Black & Gold.
The Braves (9-3-3, 8-0-3 CC) improved to 3-0-0 in the all-time series with the Tornado (1-10-2, 1-7-2 CC), and are now 6-1-1 on the year when playing at LREMC Stadium.
The Braves’ Cora Taylor’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper in the 23rd minute, deflected off the crossbar, and ricocheted to Grossheim, who one-touched it home from an impossible angle side-net to put the hosts on the board first.
Grossheim dribbled to shake free for a shot and fired a perfect left-footed strike from just outside the penalty area to beat the King goalkeeper to make it 2-0 in the 39th minute.
Mercy Bell’s centering pass in the 49th minute found a wide open Grossheim at top of the six-yard box, who one-touched it home to make it a hat trick and a 3-0 lead.
Six minutes later, a loose ball found the foot of Grossheim, who lofted a shot from just inside the penalty area into the back of the net to make it 4-0.
Bell’s 61st-minute shot was saved by the Tornado keeper, but the rebound went to a wide-open Grossheim in front of the net, who tapped it home for her record-breaking fifth goal.
Bell made a move to get free for a shot and unleashed a left-footed rocket to find the back of the net from 20 yards out in the 63rd minute to give the match its 6-0 result.
Grossheim tallied five goals on nine shots to pace the offense. She now sits at 43 career goals, just two away from breaking UNCP Hall of Famer Melanie Cobb’s school record.
Senior goalkeeper Anna Bass tallied three saves, while the defense limited King to just four total shots.
The Braves recorded 34 shots and earned nine corner kicks, while limiting King to just four shots and zero corners.
UNCP will close out the regular season Tuesday as they head to Murfreesboro for a Conference Carolinas match at Chowan. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at the CU Soccer Complex.
Braves volleyball drops match to Emmanuel
The UNC Pembroke volleyball team recorded nine total blocks, but Emmanuel hit .236 from the net and logged four service aces to defeat the Braves 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-19) on Saturday afternoon at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
The Braves (10-14, 7-5 CC) have now lost their last three contests against Emmanuel and fall to 4-6 when playing at home this season. The Lions (14-9, 11-1 CC) snapped a two-game skid and improve to 7-5 when playing on the road.
Emmanuel hit .280 from the net in the first set and took a 9-6 lead via a service ace from Sami Gambill, but UNC Pembroke answered with three straight points to knot the score at 9-9. The Braves put together a 6-1 run to lead 16-14 following an Abby Peduzzi kill, but Emmanuel took the lead for good, 22-21, with a kill from Alaina Emminger, and won the set 25-22.
The Lions hit a match-high .293 from the net and took an early 10-3 lead in the second set with a service ace from Amore Marshall. The Braves worked their deficit back to 14-10 after a trio of points capped off with a block from McKenna Hayes and Precious Daley, but EU closed out the set on an 11-7 run and took the set 25-17.
The Braves scored the first three points of the third set, but Emmanuel would eventually take a slight 8-5 lead with a UNCP attack error. The Braves tied the score at 8-8 with a solo block from Savannah Whaley, but the Lions put together a 5-0 surge to lead 13-8 with a service ace. The hosts chipped away at their deficit, 16-14 with blocks from Hayes and Daley, but the Lions cushioned their lead, 21-14, with five straight points, and won the set 25-19 to clinch the overall win.
Ruby Countryman and Peduzzi each had eight kills for UNCP, Daley had six kills with five blocks, Tyler Patterson had 26 assists and 10 digs, Anaya Carter had nine digs, Karagyn Durco had nine digs, Hayes and Daley each had five blocks and Brette Doile had two aces.
The Braves will be back in action on Wednesday when they make the short trip to Florence, South Carolina, to face Francis Marion in the Battle of I-95. First serve is set for 6 p.m. inside the Smith University Center.
Braves golf sits 6th at Converse Fall Invite
Newcomer Marta Ortega carded a team-best 3-over-par 75 in the second round of action to position the UNC Pembroke golf team in sixth place after the opening two rounds of the Converse Fall Invite on Monday at the Woodfin Ridge Golf Club.
A product of Mallorca, Spain, Ortega (8 over par) sits in a tie for 12th place and sits just eight strokes behind Tamara Brito of Young Harris who leads the individual tournament. Freshmen Ella Reed (16 over) and Catherine DeSiena (16 over) are among a five-way tie for 32nd place after a two-round total of 160, while Lola Barnett (17 over) is in a three-way tie for 37th place with a two-round total of 161. Melissa Guerra Landa (21 over) and Michelle Guerra Landa (21 over) rounded out the action for UNCP and sit in a five-way tie for 44th place.
The Black & Gold will close out competition at the Converse Fall Invite on Tuesday. Tee times are set for 9 a.m. at the Woodfin Ridge Golf Club.