University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
3-3-3, 0-0-0
VMI
0-8-1, 0-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| VMI | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| UNC Asheville | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Bulldogs Celebrate Senior Day with 5-1 Victory over VMI
09.13.2026 | Women's Soccer
VMI scored first just 33 seconds in, when Ella Peterson fed Nixon Carpenter on a broken sequence that led to Carpenter giving the Keydets a lead off her right foot in the first minute. The Bulldogs would respond quickly, when Landyn Wessels started a play through the middle to Lilly Graumann who then lofted a ball down the field for Lili Adams. Adams was able to win the footrace and stash home a goal on her Senior Day for her fourth goal of the season and sixth of her college career.
The assist was the sixth of the season and career for Graumann, while Wessels tallied her second helper of the season and fourth of her career. The Bulldogs would continue to mount offensive pressure in the half, and it would finally break through in the final few minutes of the period. Similar to the sequence of Asheville's first goal, the play began with Campbell Stoll finding Karlee Benz on a clean connection before Benz lofted a ball down the middle for a streaking Alexa Francis. Francis was able to beat VMI's keeper to the ball to score her first of the season and second of her career for her first career game-winner.5' | A quick equalizer!
— Asheville Women's Soccer (@UNCAvlWSoccer) September 13, 2026
LA scores from LG and Landyn and we're tied 1-1!#ALLinAVL pic.twitter.com/RMyuYbHeSl
The assist for Stoll was her second of the season and sixth of her career, while Benz picked up her first helper of the season and fourth of her career. Asheville would then take its 2-1 lead to the half after outshooting VMI 13-1 in the opening frame.39' | Hey Alexa, play the goal song 😎
— Asheville Women's Soccer (@UNCAvlWSoccer) September 13, 2026
We lead 2-1!#ALLinAVL pic.twitter.com/beHTsebWG5
The Bulldogs kept the pressure on early in the second half, as Asheville mounted a run to the VMI end just 10 minutes into the second half. Haydan Erck played a ball through the box on the run that ultimately found Kandis Calvin, before Calvin fed the ball through to Graumann in a crowd. Graumann turned and fired with the left foot and scored her second of the season and fifth of her career for a 3-1 lead.
The helper for Erck was her first of the season and the fifth of her career, while Calvin registered her second assist of the season and the second of her college career. Asheville's next goal would come in the 68th minute, when Makayla Cihlar would break up a VMI exit from their own end. Cihlar created some space and ripped a shot to the top shelf for her third of the season and third of her career and a 4-1 Bulldogs lead.56' | LG puts us up by two!
— Asheville Women's Soccer (@UNCAvlWSoccer) September 13, 2026
🍎 to Erck and Calvin!#ALLinAVL pic.twitter.com/U0YsjqytKL
Just six minutes later, Alexandra Gib connected with Benz who then fed Cihlar again. Cihlar rocketed another to the top shelf for her second of the game and her first career brace. Benz picked up her second assist of the match on the play, while Gib tallied her first helper of the season and first of her college career.68' | Mak attack 🚀
— Asheville Women's Soccer (@UNCAvlWSoccer) September 13, 2026
A rocket to the top shelf gives us a 4-1 lead!#ALLinAVL pic.twitter.com/dot7bLcMG1
74' | Mak again for the brace!
— Asheville Women's Soccer (@UNCAvlWSoccer) September 13, 2026
We lead 5-1!#ALLinAVL pic.twitter.com/oHBuKZvXRh
Asheville outshot VMI 26-1 in the match, including 14-1 in shots on goal. Asheville also earned eight corner kicks to VMI's one in the contest. Adams paced the offense with a career-high six shots in the match, while Manuela Schreier also had three shots to match her career best. Stoll, Kathleen Doane, Gib, Graumann, Cihlar and Francis each had two shots in the match with Stoll, Doane and Francis each matching their career-high. Calvin, Sanna Smith, Haydan Erck, Maleigh Dawson and Olivia Simpson each had one shot in the contest, with Dawson and Smith both matching their career-highs. London Phoenix (3-3-2) earned the win between the pipes.
The Bulldogs (3-3-3) open Big South Conference play Saturday night (Sept. 19) at home against Presbyterian. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. from Greenwood Field, with video and live stats available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Nixon Carpenter (1)
Assisted By: Ella Peterson
GOAL by VMI Carpenter, Nixon Assist by Peterson, Ella.
00:33
Lili Adams (4)
Assisted By: Lilly Graumann , Landyn Wessels
GOAL by AVL Adams, Lili Assist by Graumann, Lilly and Wessels, Landyn.
04:03
Alexa Francis (1)
Assisted By: Karlee Benz , Campbell Stoll
GOAL by AVL Francis, Alexa Assist by Benz, Karlee and Stoll, Campbell.
38:22
Lilly Graumann (2)
Assisted By: Kandis Calvin , Haydan Erck
GOAL by AVL Graumann, Lilly Assist by Calvin, Kandis and Erck, Haydan.
55:35
Makayla Cihlar (4)
GOAL by AVL Cihlar, Makayla.
67:56
Makayla Cihlar (4)
Assisted By: Alexandra Gib , Karlee Benz
GOAL by AVL Cihlar, Makayla Assist by Gib, Alexandra and Benz, Karlee.
73:39