ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Phoebe Hollin scored twice as Asheville City SC earned its first victory of the season Saturday night, defeating the Chattanooga Red Wolves 3-1 on the road.
The Women in Blue controlled much of the match and were rewarded with a strong attacking performance that featured goals from Hollin and Naroa Domenech.
Asheville threatened early when Caitlin Conroy pounced on a loose ball outside the penalty area and fired a shot toward the lower left corner. Chattanooga goalkeeper Alo Iriarte was forced into a full-stretch diving save to keep the match scoreless.
The Blues continued to create chances. In the 20th minute, Maya Leoni forced a turnover deep in Red Wolves territory and found Domenech near the edge of the box. Domenech worked herself into space before curling a shot that sailed just over the crossbar.
The breakthrough finally came in the 35th minute.
Ana Chaves collected a pass from Lauryn Mateo on the left flank and delivered a diagonal ball into the penalty area. Hollin timed her run perfectly, slipped behind the defense and calmly finished past Iriarte for Asheville’s first goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
Chattanooga responded before halftime. Six minutes after Asheville opened the scoring, the Red Wolves pieced together a well-worked attack that ended with Maya Maxwell finishing from close range to level the match at 1-1 heading into the break.
The second half opened at a frantic pace.
Just 20 seconds after the restart, Hollin appeared to have scored her second goal of the night, but the effort was waved off for offsides. Moments later, Chattanooga nearly took the lead, but Asheville goalkeeper Lilly Heaslet came up with a point-blank save to preserve the tie.
The Blues regained control in the 58th minute.
Domenech received the ball near the top of the box, spun away from her defender and buried a shot into the bottom-right corner to restore Asheville’s advantage at 2-1.
Asheville nearly added another seven minutes later. A slick passing sequence found Hollin inside the penalty area, but her shot from a tight angle was pushed away by Iriarte. Conroy chased down the rebound, but Chattanooga’s defense quickly closed the space.
The pressure continued as Kelly Gordon rose to meet a corner kick and directed a header toward the upper corner, only for Iriarte to make another impressive save.
Hollin put the match away in the 69th minute.
After being brought down inside the box, she stepped to the penalty spot and converted the ensuing kick to extend Asheville’s lead to 3-1.
Hollin’s two-goal performance earned her Wicked Pie Player of the Match honors.
The Women in Blue return to action Wednesday against One Knoxville SC. Asheville will then host One Knoxville in a makeup match June 9 at Greenwood Field after the teams’ May 23 meeting was postponed by weather.
The Asheville City men return home June 7 to face Wake FC at Greenwood Field.