Although the Yellowjackets winning streak was snapped with losses to Emory University and New York University last week, the women’s soccer team got back on track with a victory over Union last Tuesday to leave their record at 8-2.
UR traveled to Emory for the Sept. 28 game, falling to the team 0-1 with an early goal from the other team. “This was a tough and frustrating game because the fact that they scored in the first 30 seconds was hard to deal with, sophomore Karen Forsythe said. “We came back and worked hard, but we didn’t get the job done.”
One of the biggest challenges of the game was the amount of injuries that plagued UR’s team. “Several injuries took out some of our starters, and some of our younger players stepped up when they needed to,” sophomore Kristin Kelly said.Freshmen Kristen Leskow and Chris Michael came off the bench to put forth the effort the Yellowjackets needed after senior Amy Kelmenson and junior Sarah Crimmins left the game due to injuries.”We played practically everyone off the bench in the Emory game, and they did very well,” head coach Terry Gurnett said. “I am pleased with how everyone responded.”
Further, Emory is one of UR’s rivals due to a discrepancy over the Yellowjackets 1-0 victory over the team last year. “We needed to come home with a victory and we did not,” sophomore Portia Bridges explained. This, in conjunction with the injuries, led Forsythe to describe the game with Emory as a “full-out battle.”
On Sept. 28, UR faced NYU and fell 0-1 in overtime.The biggest challenge was trying to physically and mentally make the opportunity to gain the lead when possessing the ball by the goal and missing out on the opportunity to score.”We had the ball in their end line, and then they completely reversed the situation and chipped the ball over our keeper,” Bridges said.
The game was stagnant for the most part, and Gurnett feels that “the game could’ve gone either way.It was our first really tough, close game and we just couldn’t put it away.”Despite this defeat, the team remains optimistic. “We’ve learned to get in battle and show ourselves that we can compete with the best,” Gurnett continued.
This Tuesday, UR was successful in defeating Union 1-0. Junior Alison Collins, assisted by Bridges, scored the team’s goal in overtime. The Yellowjackets were ecstatic about the win because they has never beaten Union in the past.”It was hard to regain our confidence after losing the past two games and get back on our feet,” Kelly said.This confidence was established and led the team to a victory.
“We needed the win.It brings us out of our slump and pushes us forward with our spirits,” Forsythe said.She also commented on junior Jenica Schmidt’s performance as being significant to the victory.
The win over Union has established a morale that ignites a desire to “sweep the rest of our schedule,” Bridges said.”We have the ability to do so, and we have some challenges ahead of us, but we are capable to go ahead.”UR looks to upcoming games on the schedule, including Case Western University tomorrow, Carnegie Mellon on Sunday, and Ithaca on Wednesday.Gurnett, in reference to the difficulties UR has faced in the past two weeks, said “We need to keep looking forward and not looking back.”
Josephson can be reached at ejosephson@campustimes.org.
