<< Front page Sports September 10, 2004

Women’s soccer splits games over the weekend

In or out?: First-year Leigh Wilson makes a diving attempt at a save last week in practice.
 

The Yeowomen started off their season with an impressive victory over Heidelberg College in the first of four Oberlin Classic games on Saturday and Sunday.

The final score was 4-2. During the first half, the Yeowomen dominated with twelve shots to Heidelberg’s five. Sophomore Sam Schongalla scored the first goal off of a penalty kick.

Schongalla then assisted two more goals scored by first-year Jessica Greenberg and sophomore Leah Bellow-Handleman. The Yeowomen demonstrated strong teamwork through solid passing and good communication.

This season the team looks to 11 first-years to contribute to the team. Four first-years started the game, including Leigh Wilson in goal.

Leigh had eight saves including many offensive slide tackles. Three offside calls by the referee kept Heidelberg out of breakaways. First-year Leslie Mills exhibited great offensive footwork while junior Laurie Stein cleared loose balls on defense.

“We were really happy with our first game. The team was very good creating a lot of chances,” Coach Andy Nelson said. “In the first half most of these chances were outside of the box, but by the second half they had adjusted well and got some good crosses in front of the keeper.”

Sunday’s hot and humid game between Oberlin and Defiance College ended with a 0-2 score. The women started the game off with great communication and impressive passing between Schongalla, Greenberg and sophomore Kym Buzdygon.

However, Defiance College quickly dominated the game with multiple shots on goal blocked by Wilson. Oberlin defense, headed by captains senior Leah Frederickson and Stein, kept the ball around midfield while Greenberg had many impressive offensive pushes.

In the second half, Defiance brought an even stronger push with a left corner shot cleared by first-year left defender Alice Randall and a right corner shot saved by Wilson.

The Yeowomen could not outrun the next offensive push and a goal was scored on the breakaway. Immediately following the goal, Buzdygon had an offensive strike with a nice cross-field pass by Schongalla that just missed the far corner of the net.

Defiance College kept the ball in Oberlin’s corner, wasting the last four minutes of the game, securing the victory.

“We played even better than the day before,” Nelson said. “We had as many clear cut chances as our opponents but we just didn’t take them.”

Overall, the team was happy with the way they played. “It was a great first time playing together, but we look forward to improving over the course of the season,” sophomore midfielder Mei-Lin Ha said.


 
 
   

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