The Emory women’s soccer team started its season off strong with two wins this past weekend at Trinity University in San Antonio.
The Eagles secured a 1-0 victory over the University of Puget Sound (Wash.) Loggers on Aug. 31, and wrapped up the weekend with a 2-0 shutout against Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) Lutes on Sept. 2.
Although the score looks close on paper, Emory held most of the possession with 32 shots versus Puget Sound’s three shots.
Senior forward Abbe McCarter scored the lone goal of the match against the Loggers in the 26th minute off a corner kick.
The Eagle offensive unit offered considerable support with senior midfielder Madison Phaneuf and sophomore midfielder Yasmin Toy making a team-high of three shots on target each, and junior forward Shivani Beall making a game-high of seven shots. Senior goalkeeper Dani Staffin closed the match with her first clean sheet of the season.
Two days later, Emory established its dominance over the Lutes with a 25-to-six shot advantage, leading with eight more shots on goal. Freshman midfielder Lindsey Breskow and McCarter delivered the Eagles’ success. Breskow scored her first career goal in the ninth minute off a pass from junior forward Caroline Kolski. McCarter added her second goal of the season in the 87th minute, assisted by sophomore defender Caroline Moore.
Breskow said she was initially shocked after she scored the goal.
“I didn’t even realize that I scored,” Breskow said. “Then it hit me, and I got excited. Getting the win after makes it so much better.”
Breskow led the Eagle attack with five shots, three of which were on target. Moore and Beall added on four shots, with two on target. Staffin finished an excellent showing with three saves and her 10th career shutout.
Even though the Eagles secured the win, they failed to capitalize on all of their chances to score.
“We had so many opportunities,” Breskow said. “We knew we were the better team, [but] it would have been nice to get a few more goals on the board [to] show how much we dominated the game.”
Patberg seemed optimistic about the Eagles’ season debut performance.
“It has been quite a few years [since we’ve started off] with two wins,” Head coach Sue Patberg said. “[It] builds a lot of excitement within the program and outside the program as well.”
After solid preseason for the team, it has not taken much time for the team to collaborate even with 10 new members.
“[The first-year] players have assimilated into the team really well,” Patberg said. “[The] nine seniors [from last year] have been terrific leaders.”
The Eagles will return home to play against Oglethorpe University (Ga.) on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
