By Zack Ciboth
The UNC Pembroke women’s soccer team picked up a dominating Conference Carolinas win over the King Tornado at home Saturday afternoon in what was the final home game of the season for the Braves and UNCP’s Annuel Senior Day. The Braves wasted no time getting things going early and often and that helped propel them to a 6-0 win.
The Braves got things going in the 23rd minute when Anna Grossheim fired a shot right back to the goalie after fellow teammate Cora’s Taylor shot was blocked to make it 1-0. Grossheim’s high scoring performance did not stop there as she broke free and fired a shot into the back left corner to make it 2-0. King could not get anything going offensively and UNCP took the two-goal lead into halftime.
UNCP started off the second half the same way they started the game with a goal from Grossheim in the 49th minute off an assist from Mercy Bell to make it 3-0 completing a hat trick for the graduate senior. The Braves made it 4-nil on Grossheim’s fourth goal of the game as she broke free down the field and fired a laser in the back of the net. Bell’s shot was blocked by the Tornado keeper, but it rebounded off of Grossheim’s foot and she placed it in the back of the net in the 61st minute to make it 5-0. Bell wrapped up the scoring with a goal from 20-yards out to close things out for the win.
Grossheim five goals broke the UNCP single game record while adding nine shots on goal and she now has 43 career goals shy of two to break Hall of Famer Melanie Cobbs record of 44. Bell added two assists to her one goal performance and Anna Bass had three saves while limiting the King offense to just four shots on goal. The Braves outscored the Tornado with 34 shots on goal compared to their four.
The Braves will close out the regular season on Tuesday when they travel to Murfreesboro, N.C to take on the Chowan Hawks. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.