Women's soccer takes two to top Oberlin's fall sports

The football team and the women's soccer team are the only Oberlin varsity teams that have won a game this season. Women's soccer is the only team to have won two.

After two wins against Marietta College 5-1 on Sept. 12 and Muskigum College 4-1 on Sept. 13, the Yeowomen took a loss Wednesday to Allegheny College 7-0. Oberlin is now 2-3 overall and 0-1 in conference.

"I was pleased with our overall play, we just need to work on getting better," Coach Blake New said.

"We thought the first two games were wake-up calls," junior Nicole James said, referring to the team's losses to John Carroll University and Ohio Northern University.

The practices leading up to the weekend games were more successful, and the Yeowomen entered the game determined to nab the wins.

"We played our game, not theirs," first-year Zora Tucker said. "We weren't intimidated by their numbers and reputation."

Junior Lisa Novins and sophomore Maia Skutel each scored two goals leading to the victory.

"We had better communication," first-year Eve Bratman added.

The next day's game against Muskigum also made the team look good.

"Muskigum was a game where we were kind of tired - they scored the first goal, then we showed them what we were there to do," sophomore Karen Bradley said.

Once again, Novins and Skutel contributed to the score. Novins had three goals, Skutel had one, and junior Sarah Allen added another.

The practices that led up to Wednesday's game, however, did not go as well. "Our hearts weren't in our practices - probably a confidence thing," James said.

Oberlin was blown away by Allegheny's seven goal shutout in their first conference game. Four of Allegheny's seven goals came on corner kicks.

"We just didn't show up to play," New said.

"They definitely weren't better skilled than we were," James said.

A list of injured players didn't help either. "It's hard because we're down defensive players," Bradley said. Bradley is out for at least two weeks with an injured knee, and several other players have minor injuries that make it harder to play.

Sophomore Erin Williamson is taking this semester off for health reasons. She will return to the team next season. "Erin's probably one of our best all-around players," New said. "She's a good person, and it hurts not to have her around."

Despite the loss of some of their best players, the team remains optimistic about the game against Division II Tiffin University on Saturday.

"I think we stand a good chance of winning," Bratman said. "Especially since we're working hard in the next few practices."