Dan DaranciangThe women’s soccer team came into this fall season with high expectations. As of yet, they have met the task, despite their 6-4-1 season record. Over the past two weeks of play, the squad has not been able to sustain a long win streak, showing their true potential.
On Saturday, Sept. 24, the team traveled to La Crosse, Wisc., to take on UW-La Crosse, in what should have been an easy win for the Bears. Despite controlling the ball and owning the advantage in nearly every offensive category, the team couldn’t capture the win in an intense double overtime battle; La Crosse pulled out a 2-1 victory on a penalty kick after 105 minutes of hard fought play.
Throughout the game, the Bears outshot La Crosse in dominating fashion, owning the advantage 43-13. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until the 88th minute of play the Bears could net a goal; junior Talia Bucci netted a shot from 30 yards out to give the squad the 1-0 lead, but less than a minute later the Eagles answered back with a goal of their own to tie it up with 1:15 left in regulation.
During the first overtime the Red-and-Green didn’t allow a shot on goal, but also couldn’t knock one in on their six shot attempts.
Following their disappointing loss, the Bears went into their next game against Wartburg College determined to show what the team can do. Junior captain MeghanMarie Fowler-Finn took it upon herself to demonstrate the Red-and-Green’s power, single handedly shutting out Wartburg. Fowler-Finn broke the game open for her squad in the 35th minute as she scored her first of two goals on the day.
Scoring a penalty kick, Fowler-Finn followed up on her first goal with another one in the 62nd minute with a beautifully executed pass from senior Megan Morley. The two goals moved Fowler-Finn into fourth place on the Bears’ all-time scoring list.
Sophomore goalkeeper Nina Sass picked up the win for the Bears, saving eight en route to their fifth shutout of the season.
The next victim for the squad came at the feet of Principia College on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Fowler-Finn continued her hot streak as she contributed one goal and an assist in the Bears’ 4-0 victory. The offensive production against Principia looked like the Bears of old, as four different players each scored a goal in the game.
Fowler-Finn got the team rolling only 11 minutes into the game after receiving a Bucci pass and beating the Principia goalkeeper for her fourth goal of season, moving her into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time WU scoring list with 25 goals.
Fowler-Finn’s momentum continued when she set up the next goal with a finely executed assist through the Principia defense to give sophomore Kim O’Keefe the chance to net her second goal of the season. The assist moved Fowler-Finn into a tie for sixth place on the all-time points list with 58.
It was also a big day for several newcomers to the Bears squad. Freshman Kristin Hilligoss increased the lead to 3-0 in the 39th minute as she scored off a cross from sophomore Abbey Hartmann for her first career goal. Freshman LeAnne Nguyen scored her first collegiate goal, as well, early in the second half to end the scoring at 4-0.
After being named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Defensive Player of the Week before the game, Sass saved three shots while playing the first half. Sophomore Carrie Sear matched Sass’s performance, playing the second half and picking up three saves in the effort.
Despite the back-to-back wins, the squad lost its 19th ranked position in the Division III poll and were then forced to travel to the home of the University’s newly formed arch-nemesis, the No. 24 ranked Emory University Eagles.
Much to the chagrin of the promising win streak, the Bears were unable to hold on during the game and prove WU’s athletic dominance over the hated Eagles. Despite being outshot 14-3 in the game and losing the advantage in corner kicks 0-6, the tough Bear defense held strong, only allowing one goal.
Heading into halftime, the score was knotted at 0-0 and Emory was only able to manage three shots on goal. But once the second half started and Sear replaced Sass in net, the Bear defense crumbled, giving the Eagles 11 opportunities to score. Only one of those shots got past Sear, as she let up the game’s only goal in the 69th minute of play. Without Sear’s exceptional netminding and seven saves, the game differential would have been greater.
But in the end it didn’t matter. The Bears were only able to get off two shots on goal, leading to their loss, and rounding out their season record to 6-4-1.
The University looks to rebound from their loss with a week off from competition and a four-game homestand, three against UAA rivals. The next game is slated for Sunday, Oct. 9 at noon against Carnegie Mellon University.