SPORTS

Yeowomen outlast Case in double overtime

by Eben Askins

The women's soccer team split two games during their own Oberlin College Women's Classic this past weekend. After dropping the first game 6-1 to conference powerhouse Wooster, Oberlin gritted out an amazing 2-1 double OT win over Case Western Reserve.

In the Wooster game, Oberlin battled the Fighting Scots hard throughout the first half. They were rewarded with a close 2-1 deficit at the break. However, the Yeowomen could not compete with Wooster's potent attack in the second half. Photo of women's soccer game

"We dropped our heads after they started scoring goals," said senior captain Maya Skutel. "We weren't making passes. We got down on ourselves and didn't mark up."

"We broke down in the middle," said sophomore goalkeeper Julie Noyes. "[T]hey were taking shots from just outside the box and hitting the corners."

Sophomore striker Becky Kanuch offered another explanation. "We were a little nervous and shaky in our first home game. We corrected our mistakes in the Sunday game against Case."

Kanuch was right on target. Oberlin took the lead early on with a goal by Kanuch assisted by sophomore Stephanie White. The Spartans retaliated with a score midway through the first half. "It was my fault, a crappy goal," said Noyes.

The two teams then proceeded to play tight, well-defended, intense soccer. Oberlin began to gain an edge as they wore Case down, but the Yeowomen were unable to convert the edge into a goal. The teams battled to the end of regulation with the score deadlocked at one.

In the first overtime, both teams traded scoring opportunities, with Noyes making critical saves to preserve the tie. Five minutes into the second overtime, the Yeomen put in a goal of highlight quality. Junior Jessa Klotz controlled the ball in midfield before moving the ball to Skutel. Skutel, Klotz, and Kanuch traded passes as they moved through defenders toward Case's goal. Skutel put it home for the win.

Noyes summed up the winning goal: "Becky took it up the side and crossed to Maya and Maya put it in," she said. "Then we went crazy."

Exhausted but satisfied, the women poured onto the field in jubilant celebration. They had split the tourney and won their first game of the year.

"The win was awesome. We came back from Wooster and wanted to kick some ass," said sophomore Alison Marshall. "We just wanted it more than they did."

Sophomore Kelly Gaughan confirmed the heart-filled victory. "A lot of pride went into this game. No one is going to take two from us at our home tournament," she said.

"We did really well," said Kanuch. "We were aggressive to 50-50 balls {ed. note-points at which either team could control the ball}. We maintained our shape throughout the game."

The women had a three day layoff until yesterday's home match versus John Carroll. Fatigue from the Case win likely played a role in Oberlin's unfortunate 7-0 shutout loss.

The game began in a run-and-gun type fashion with both teams dashing up and down the field, failing to capitalize on scoring chance after scoring chance. Oberlin then got sloppy, turning the ball over on their half of the field and making blind outlet passes.

In the 38th minute, a Blue Streak forward faked out a defender, stopped on a dime and let fly a swift, curving ball that landed in the back of the net. A few minutes later, following a turnover in midfield, John Carroll pounded home another goal.

The blitz continued and the Yeowomen suddenly looked at the scoreboard and saw themselves down 6-0. Most frustrating for Oberlin was the chances it had all throughout the half, but failed to convert.

The pace picked up in the second half; though Oberlin failed to score, they did hold the Streak to one goal and had plenty of opportunities of their own.

"We weren't together in the first 20 minutes. We had opportunities. If we played like we did in the rest of the game during those twenty minutes, the outcome would have been different," said Skutel.

"The score didn't tell the battle," added Marshall. "We are going to to come back and win on Saturday."

The team is now 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the NCAC. They face another three game week, beginning with a road game at Thiel on Saturday. Sunday the Yeowomen return to play Alma College at 1:00. They close another busy week on Thursday at Adrian College.


Photo:
Step aside, sister: The Yeowomen hosted last weekend's Women's Classic tournament, grabbing a dramatic win over Case Western and suffering a lopsided defeat to Wooster in the process. (staff photo)

 

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Copyright © 1999, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 128, Number 2, September 10, 1999

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