The streak is on! This Wednesday, women’s soccer was able to follow up on their dominant win against Bowdoin last Saturday with a spectacular 5-0 victory against Mount Holyoke College (2-4-0) on Wednesday at Jackson Field. The Cardinals now stand with a 4-2-0 record heading into an important conference matchup against Bates this Saturday.

The Mount Holyoke match, originally scheduled for Tuesday night, was postponed to a day later due to forecasts of heavy rain and thunderstorms. For the most part, the Cards were able to cruise through the game without the Lyons posing any scoring threats at any point. In total, Wesleyan outshot Mount Holyoke 38-3, while also holding an 11-0 corner kick advantage. Additionally, Wes goalkeeper Sarah Hammond ’22 was only forced to make three saves throughout the game, while Lyons goalkeeper Maria Lucia-Delgaldo made 16.

The Red and Black got off to a quick start when defender Kayla O’Brien ’19 took advantage of a defensive breakdown by Mt. Holyoke and scored a goal at the 8:28 mark. The Cards were later able to notch a second goal at 18:01 when Gianna Argento ’21 trapped a cross from O’Brien and tucked the ball straight into the net. The lead again expanded at the 40:56 mark with Shannon Sweeney ’21 taking advantage of a penalty kick, securing a 3-0 lead before half-time. In the last eleven minutes of the game, Katie Frizzell ’20 and Sweeney were each able to notch a goal for the Red and Black. After netting two goals, Sweeney commented on what turned out to be a fun night.

“Tonight was definitely a memorable game because everyone got to play, and we could all feel that the 5-0 win as a team effort,” Sweeney said. “We were all super excited to play our first home game under the lights, and we all went out there with a positive attitude and contributed.”

Although the team has struggled to make playoffs for four consecutive years, many players are hopeful that this may be the season that women’s soccer would have a winning season once again.

“I’m very hopeful for this season with the amount of history that this team has together and with the addition of the incoming class,” Elizabeth Young ’19 said. “Our backline is really solid and terrific at stopping other teams from scoring on us.”

Sweeney felt the same way, noting prior failure is a major motivator for the team as a whole.

“We’re definitely feeling confident moving forward,” she said. “We’re looking to keep working hard in practice and being competitive in the NESCAC. These past two wins just motivate us for the games to come, especially against Bates this weekend. I’m looking forward to continuing to improve as a team and winning games like we did tonight.”

Looking ahead, the team has clear issues to address. The Cards are undefeated at home, which is great; however, their away record weighs them down (1-2). Playing well on the road is a major key to being a competitive NESCAC team. This is especially relevant this season because the Birds play powerhouses Williams and Middlebury away late in the season, and those games will be crucial to seeding in the NESCAC Tournament.

 

Frank Ribli can be reached at fribli@wesleyan.edu.