Box Score by Colleen Loftus, communcations student assistant
WASHINGTON- The Catholic women's soccer team defeated Elizabethtown in their first conference game of the season on Saturday, September 27 on the CUA Soccer Field upping their winning streak to two.
The single goal of the game occurred within the first ten minutes of play, as junior Kirsten Wosleger drove up field into Blue Jays territory. Wosleger passed the ball to sophomore Alyssa Fiore, who pulled goalkeeper Dana Robidoux from the net and shot into the center of the goal.
"We had talked about coming out strong and getting an early goal," said women's soccer head coach JP Sousa. "We knew that if we at least had the goal, we could take a couple chances and see what else we could make happen."
The Lady Cards maintained their 1-0 lead into the second half. Both teams stepped up their intensity, leading to one of the most physically demanding games Catholic has played this season. The Cards totaled 18 fouls in comparison to the Blue Jays' 11 as the fight for the midfield proved relentless. Catholic produced five corner kick opportunities in the second half, and totaled 15 shots.
Offensively, freshman Andrea Jablonskyj stood out with four shots and one on goal. Senior Kaylre Greaves followed close behind with three shots and two on goal. Nine Catholic players managed shots on their opponent, creating ample chances to score.
"We really wanted to get forward with help," Sousa said. "We were just happy with what was happening on the attacking half of the field."
The Catholic defense hung on tight once again in the 1-0 shutout, as Lexi Halperin snagged six saves for the Lady Cardinals in her eighth start this season.
"She knows that a lot can happen for this team," Sousa said of Halperin. "She realizes that she has to be the rock in the back…she's been willing to sacrifice and do those little things to keep the ball out of the net."
Not only was the outing Catholic's first conference game of the season, the game also marked Elizabethtown's first conference game since joining the Landmark Conference. The Lady Cardinals now hold a 1-0 conference record, with an overall record of 7-1-2. The team will travel to Moravian on Saturday, October 4, for a 3:30 p.m. game.
Notes: Prior to this match, both teams were ranked in the Mid-Atlantic Region by the NSCAA. Elizabethtown was ranked 6th, while Catholic was ranked 8th.
-CUA-
