Eitan HochsterAfter a solid victory over the No. 3 team in the nation, Wheaton College (MA), last week, the fifth-ranked Washington University women’s soccer team wasn’t given a break in their tough schedule. On Sunday, Sept. 18, the team was set to face sixth-ranked Denison University at home on Francis Field.
In a hard-fought battle dominated by strong defense on both sides of the ball, Denison was able to snap the Bears’ three-game win streak with a 1-0 win in front of a crowd of 175 Bear faithfuls.
It didn’t take long for Denison to score their lone goal and get their name on the board. Two minutes into the game, an explosive Denison offensive player got past the Bear defense and, with the breakaway, Denison was able to chip the ball above sophomore keeper Nina Sass for the score.
After letting in the first goal, Sass played the remainder of the game, saving one shot on goal.
Despite owning the advantage in shots, 9-6, throughout the game, the Bears couldn’t get the ball through the pipes. And as time expired, they walked off the field scoreless and winless.
Sophomore Marin McCarthy led the Bear offense, getting four shots off on goal, although none were able to connect with the net.
The big difference in the game came from the mistakes that the squad forced. The University could not capitalize on corner kicks, where Denison had six corner kicks to the Bears’ one. More important, fouls killed the Bear effort. Thirteen fouls contributed greatly to losing possession of the ball and the opportunity to score goals. Denison, in comparison, only committed three fouls.