All it took was one composed play from Danielle Crystal ’07 just 4:38 into the game, along with solid performances from two freshmen goalies, to propel the women’s soccer team to hang on for a victory over Tufts. The 1-0 victory was just Wesleyan’s third NESCAC win in six years.
Tufts (10-2-1 overall, 5-2-1 NESCAC) came into the game sitting alone atop the NESCAC standings and riding an eleven-game unbeaten streak. Wesleyan (3-8-1 overall, 1-5-2 NESCAC) entered the game last in the league and out of the playoff hunt. None of this mattered, though, when the teams stepped onto the bog formerly known as North Field.
Playing loose and inspired soccer, the Cardinals converted on their first opportunity of the game when Tufts’ goalkeeper Annie Ross ’07 flubbed a goal kick in the soggy conditions. Crystal controlled the ball and fired a shot into the right corner of the net from twelve yards out. The goal was Crystal’s team leading fourth goal of the season and came off one of her four shots in the game.
“It was clear that everyone really wanted this win, and we all worked 100 percent for 90 minutes,” Crystal said. “It’s exciting to know that when we play our best, we can beat the best team in the league. No one ever really knows what to expect in this league.”
The remainder of the game saw a great team performance from the Cardinals, particularly on the defensive end. Gavi Elkind ’09 started in goal and made seven first-half saves. Andrea Giuliano ’09 preserved the shutout in the second half, matching Elkind with seven saves of her own. The combined shutout was the team’s second on the season. Elkind and Giuliano make up two-thirds of a class of 2009 goalkeeping trio that includes Suz Gerhardt ’09. The three provide a strong defensive foundation for the team to build on in the coming years.
Delia Mueller ’07, Sarah Orkin ’09, Co-captain Caitlin Herlihy’06, and Laura Fine ’08 held down the defense in front of Elkind and Giuliano. They did well to shutdown a Tufts team that entered the game tied for third in the NESCAC in goals per game. Tufts also brought with them the league’s leading goal and points leader in Ariel Samuelson ’06 and the league’s leading assist getter in Sarah Callaghan ’06. None of this phased the Cards, though, as they consistently turned away Tufts’s attack and saw their goalkeepers come through with numerous impressive saves.
While the Cardinals find themselves on the outside of the playoffs looking in, the win was a great demonstration of the talent they bring to the field and of what the future may hold for a roster full of underclassmen.
The Cardinals will finish their season Saturday at Bowdoin, where they will once again look to play of role of spoiler against a team vying for a home playoff game.
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