Women's soccer blows out two, but loses other games

Two players receive concussions in losses

The women's soccer team earned two victories and received two concussions over the past three weeks.

The wins came against Defiance College in a 5-0 blowout victory on Oct. 12, and Notre Dame College of Ohio in another 5-0 blasting Thursday. The concussions came to co-captain senior Camille McPherson against Denison University Oct. 16 and first-year Erin Willliamson against Ohio Wesleyan University Oct. 19.

The Yeowomen lost to Denison 2-1 and to Ohio Wesleyan University 3-0. They also lost 2-1 to Penn State-Behrend in overtime Oct. 23.

The team's record now stands at 6-8-2, 1-5-1 in conference play.

On Oct. 12, Defiance College came to Oberlin only to get pasted 5-0 by the Yeowomen.

"We won't be playing Defiance any time soon," coach Blake New said. "You cannot play good soccer against a team that doesn't know what it is doing."

The advantages of a blowout are that all the reserves can play and some can score. First-year Amy Marquardt scored off a pass from Williamson, who normally plays defense. Williamson, first-year Karen Bradley, senior Liz Baron and sophomore Lisa Novins all added goals in a game where the Yeowomen outshot Defiance 45-0.

McPherson suffered a concussion and earned an assist on the same play of the game Oct. 16 game at Denison.

McPherson went up for a header and came down with blood gushing out of her nose. In a daze, she knelt down in the midfield mud as she waited for the referee to stop the game. All the players stopped playing waiting for the referee to stop play.

But the referee didn't notice her predicament, and the ball was played to her. She hestitated. New sparked the play's continuation, yelling "If they are not going to stop [play], go!"

Denison defenders were not in the game, thinking that the referee would stop play. McPherson dribbled the ball on a breakaway, down the left sideline and crossed to sophomore Lisa Novins. Novins put the ball in the net for a 1-0 Yeowomen lead.

After the goal, McPherson was taken off the field, but she returned later in the game.

Denison tied the game with a goal in the first half, and scored the game-winner with five minutes left to send the Yeowomen to a 2-1 defeat.

"We played a very good game," junior goalkeeper Alysia Oakley said. "They just capitalized off the two good moments that they had."

The Yeowomen played poorly in a 3-0 loss to Ohio Wesleyan University Oct. 19. "We didn't show up for the game," New said.

"It was probably the aftermath of midterms," Oakley said. "Some days you click and some days you don't."

The game was physical, and Ohio Wesleyan is talented - and currently the third place team in the NCAC.

The defense was unprepared for the loss of Williamson after she left the game with a concussion she sustained within the first third of the game.

The play was even as the Yeowomen matched the Battlin' Bishops shot for shot.

"Their shots went in the net, and ours didn't," New said.

"Our defense is so strong," Reilly said. "It is frustrating for our defensive players to have a game like this."

Against Penn State-Behrend Oct. 23, junior Katherine Roberts lofted a freekick into the inside of left side of the goal net tying the game 1-1 with 20 minutes left to play in regulation.

The game went into overtime, and the Yeowomen controlled the ball, but couldn't find the net.

With a minute left in overtime, Penn State-Behrend scored off an Oberlin mistake.

"We tried to pull them offsides," Oakley said. "But we were a half-second too late."

The attacker broke free and placed the ball perfectly into the left corner of the net.

Even though they lost, the Yeowomen were satisfied with their play. "We played hard the whole game," junior Siobhan Reilly said.

Thursday, Notre Dame came to the game a player short, and within the first three minutes were a goal down. Oberlin went on to earn a 5-0 victory in the cold.

The Yeowomen put the ball in the net, quickly and efficiently earning a 3-0 lead within 15 minutes.

Novins added three goals to her team-leading scoring tally. Roberts and first-year Mia Skutel, finished off the scoring. Although Novins put the ball in the net to end the game, but time had expired.

Saturday, the Yeowomen close their season at home against Kenyon College.