Hornets Lewis Locked In

October 13, 2014

Box Score 
There is dialed in and then there's whatever level Aaliyah Lewis has been on in these past few matches.   
 
Lewis, the sophomore from Anchorage, Alaska, equaled her career-best seven-point performance from just two days prior and the Alabama State women's soccer team rode another humongous first half to coast to a 4-0 SWAC home victory against Grambling State on Sunday afternoon at the ASU Soccer Complex. 
 
Lewis put further distance between her and the rest of the conference individual scoring leaders by producing her second hat trick in as many matches when she found the back of the net on a nice and easy finish that was tapped softly into the goal on a helper from Australian forward Shelbi Vienna-Hallam
 
It was the fifth career hat trick for Lewis and the eighth in school history
 
The combination of Lewis and Vienna-Hallam applied continual pressure to the Lady Tigers' back line much of the first half to grab a 3-0 halftime lead and a lopsided 15-1 shots advantage.  ASU controlled possession for the majority of the opening half and pushed an aggressive approach from the start. 
 
Much like in Friday's match against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, the Lady Hornets (5-9 overall, 2-3 SWAC) struck quickly behind some finesse maneuvering and pinpoint passing from the trio of Lewis, Vienna-Hallam and Kayla Edwards
 
In the second minute, Lewis scored from about 10 yards away in front of the goal on a feed from Vienna-Hallam.  Lewis added her second tally on an assist from Edwards in the 22nd minute.  Then, Vienna-Hallam headed in a goal off a well-placed corner kick from Lewis in the 32nd minute. 
 
"I felt really good," Lewis said. "I feel the energy is right. Our goalie [Kylee Hathaway] comes around and asks what day it is and we all yell out, 'Game day.' It's just what we need to perfect our game.  We've progressed and improved so much and we've got back to the basics."  
 
Lewis said her corner kick that found Vienna-Hallam was the play she enjoyed being a part of the most on the day. 
 
"I love having them [Vienna-Hallam and Edwards] up there with me," Lewis said. "The first goal stood out the most.  Shelbi and Kayla did all the other work on the last two goals.  There was dynamic movement and being able to place the ball was a great feeling.  You have to make every corner count.  She's [Vienna-Hallam] the best in the air player.  I knew if I could find her, she would place it in."    
 
Vienna-Hallam finished with a goal and two assists.  She now has two goals and six assists in her last four matches.  Senior goalkeeper Kylee Hathaway made two saves to register her fourth shutout of the season. 
 
The Lady Tigers dropped to 0-8-1 overall and 0-5-1 in the SWAC.
 
Next, Alabama State will play at Jackson State on Friday at 4 p.m. 
                                                                                                                       
#GOHORNETS#

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