Strong Second Half Carries Women's Soccer to Victory

It was a warm evening in Towson, MD as the Women's Soccer Team returned to Beldon Field after falling to Franklin and Marshall over the weekend. The Gophers came out looking to defend home field against the Hood College Blazers and they played like it. Pressure all over the field led to the Gophers having possession for a majority of the first half. However, neither team could find the back of the net as the half ended in a 0-0 stalemate. The Gophers defense was led by Jenna Abaza (Doylestown, PA/CB West) in goal as they pulled in four saves for the Gophers in the first half.

Abaza stayed strong in the second half but a clever strike by Blazer's striker Ava Swartz gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Gopher's kept their composure and increased their pressure.  After a few chances for the Gophers offense by Claudia Roller (Tucson, AZ/Sahuaro), Ariana Carman (Wollwich, NJ/Kingsway), and Emma Yakim (Bel Air, MD/Bel Air), it was Carman who would find the equalizer for the Gophers with a cheeky shot over the head of the Blazer's goalie off a beautiful cross from Yakim. Then, in the 76^th minute, Amber Wambach (Bel Air, MD/Bel Air) came in with fresh legs to punch in a beautiful strike from 24 yards out off an Olivia Chinitz (Brooklyn, NY/Parker Collegiate Institute) drop pass to give the Gophers the lead. The Goucher eleven would continue to put the pressure on the Blazer defense behind more stellar keeping from Abaza and tough defense led by senior Caroline Altman (Las Vegas, NV/Adelson Educational Campus). Those efforts would help seal the win for the Gophers, their first win of the season. Emerson Jewart (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) would ring the bell for the Gophers in front of an electric crowd at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.

The Gophers return home this Wednesday at 7pm as they play host to Marymount.