Given the tumultuous season that the Wesleyan women’s varsity soccer team has endured by starting 1-4 and then roaring back to finish 5-5 and 5th in the NESCAC, the team seems to have developed somewhat of a split personality.
Which would show up at the team’s NESCAC quarterfinal against Tufts? Would it be the team from the first half of the season, who could not seem to hit their stride against top-table schools? Or would it be the bunch who kicked it into gear and cruised though the second half in spectacular fashion on the back of a solid defense, spectacular goal-keeping, and two of the ‘CAC’s most impressive offensive creators, Kerry Doyle ’14 and quad-captain Laura Kurash ’13?
Tufts emerged victorious the last time these two teams faced off in a 1-0 thriller. However, Wes seems to have put its early-season woes behind, the team dispatched the Jumbos in a topsy-turvy affair (a 1-1 score after overtime and a 5-3 victory for Wesleyan on penalty kicks) that has granted it the chance to play the NESCAC’s regular-season undefeated champions, the Amherst Lord Jeffs.
Wesleyan struck first. In the 13th minute, Barrie Lindsay ’12 took a pass from Doyle (who leads the team in assists this year) on the right side of the box and fired it inside the near post to give Wes its first lead of the year over Tufts. It would not last long.
Tufts waited only eight minutes to notch its first and tie the score. The scoring subsequently ceased however, and the next goal would not take place till the shootout.
The first three penalty kicks for both sides were good, with Doyle, Katy Hardt ’15 and Katie O’Brien ’15 recording points for the Cardinals. After Kurash put home her attempt, the Cardinals were happy, and that happiness quickly turned to elation after keeper Jessica Tollman ’15 stopped Tufts’ fourth attempt. All that now stood between Wes and the NESCAC semifinals were 18 yards and the Tufts keeper. Neither was a problem, as Lindsay found net for the second time on the day, sending Wes onwards to play undefeated Amherst.
In order to take out the undisputed best team in the conference, Wesleyan will have to see a similarly outstanding day from keeper Tollman, who came up huge for the victors, as she parried or caught 17 of 18 shots on goal. Wesleyan will also need to showcase its scoring efficiency that was evident against Tufts, as the team managed to play to a draw despite being outshot 31-10. The semifinal game will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Amherst’s campus.