Sunday marked the 2026 Mountain State Derby between No. 7 WVU Women’s Soccer (5-0-0) and Marshall (3-2-2).
The Mountaineers entered the matchup aiming to keep their strong start going, while Marshall was searching for the biggest win in program history against a top-10 opponent. Read more: No. 7 WVU Women’s Soccer shuts out Marshall in Mountain State Derby.
Another slow start for the Mountaineers
West Virginia controlled much of the first half, but were unable find the back of the net.
The Mountaineers put six shots on target, with several other chances either blocked or missing the frame.
Fourth-year forward Abbey Olexa had WVU’s first two shots in the 12th minute, forcing Marshall goalkeeper Emma Durand to make two saves just 13 seconds apart. Sophia Nickel followed with a shot on goal in the 33rd minute, while Alexis Pashales did the same in the 38th.
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WVU kept the pressure on as halftime approached. Layla Thompson forced another save in the 41st minute, and Alexis Re did the same just over a minute later.
The Mountaineers also had blocked shots from Tyler Clyburn and Olivia Shertzer, but Marshall held strong to keep WVU off the scoreboard.
Head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown knows West Virginia needs to find a way to start faster.
“We got to figure that out for sure,” Izzo-Brown said. “I mean, 10 shots, 8 corner kicks. You know, I felt we had some good looks. I thought we took some bad looks, not XG that we want.”
Wilson breaks through
West Virginia finally broke through early in the second half.
Fourth-year forward Jordyn Wilson scored in the 50th minute to give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead.
Wilson took the shot from the top-left side of the box and used her right foot to beat Durand and find the back of the net.
The goal came after Clyburn and Maya Leoni helped create the chance, setting Wilson up for her finish.
After spending much of the first half knocking on the door, West Virginia finally had its breakthrough.
For Wilson, it was an important moment after battling through injuries and working her way back into the lineup.
“Anytime a kid comes back from injury and gets on the board, it’s a confidence booster,” Izzo-Brown said. “Jordan’s working hard. She’s a student of the game. She wants to contribute. She wants to do anything she can to score.”
Marshall’s goalkeeper also played a big part in keeping the game close. Durand finished the night with 10 saves, facing 25 shots overall from WVU.
“Yeah, I mean she had a great game. Her kicking game was great. I thought she managed the game well,” Izzo-Brown said. “She had no fear and she’s tough. Tough kid.”
West Virginia controlled the shot count, finishing with 25 total shots compared to Marshall’s 12. The Mountaineers also put 13 shots on target, while Marshall had just three.
WVU is now 6-0-0 all-time against the Thundering Herd on the women’s side.
Up next
West Virginia returns to Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Sunday, September 13, to host UConn at 1 p.m.
The match will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation for more WVU Athletics coverage.
