The women’s soccer team will look for its third win of the season tonight, when it faces Colgate (1-3-1) in Hamilton, N.Y. for a 7 p.m. contest. The Red (2-0, 1-0) is off to its best start since 1992, when the booters went 5-0 to start the season.
“We’re all very excited for this game,” commented senior co-captain Sarah Olsen. “Colgate always just seems to get up for us and very excited [when they play us]. And we do the same when they come here. It’ll be a great game.”
The Red opened its Ivy League season with a 2-1 win at Columbia (1-2, 0-1) on Saturday, avenging last year’s 1-0 loss at Berman Field. Freshman Phela Townsend found the back of the net after a shot by classmate Kara Ishikawa deflected off a Columbia defender. Junior Whitney Cale scored the team’s first goal on a corner kick in the 16th minute. The Lions’ only goal came in the 52nd minute, when freshman Courtney Nasshorn beat sophomore keeper Katie Thomas from 10 yards out.
Colgate is trying to rebound after its first losing season since 1989. The Raiders will rely on senior tri-captains Lauren Erickson, Lauren Kaufman, and Kristi Woodworth to lead the team. Last year’s meeting at Berman Field ended in a 1-1 tie, with the Raiders notching the equalizer in the 53rd minute, after Olsen tallied the only goal for the Red.
Colgate is coming off a 1-1 showing at the ECAC Soccer Classic held in Cape Cod, Massachusetts last weekend. The Raiders knocked off Vermont 5-1 on Friday, before losing to Brown 3-2 on Sunday. Freshman Kelly Kuss recorded two goals for Colgate in the loss. She was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week for her performance at the Classic, which also included an assist against Vermont. Juniors Kate Barrett and Courtney Hostetler each scored two goals in the Raiders’ win against Vermont.
The Red’s freshmen have been stellar so far this season, accounting for two assists and one goal in the first two contests. The booters will need to establish the midfield game tonight, something they did not do against the Lions, who bypassed the midfield altogether.
“Hopefully we’ll come out strong,” remarked Olsen. ” No matter what it will be a very close and exciting game.”
The Red returns to Berman Field on Saturday for the home opener against Penn at 4 p.m.
Archived article by Jonathan Auerbach