The Emory women’s soccer team kicked off a weekend of home games against No. 13 Christopher Newport University (CNU) (Va.) Sept. 15, before closing the weekend against Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) (Ala.) Sept. 17. On Sept. 15, the Eagles battled it out against CNU, but lost 2-1 during overtime. Two days later, they redeemed themselves with a 5-0 win against BSC, bringing their season record to 4-2-0.
The Eagles and the CNU Captains met on the WoodPEC soccer field on a hazy Friday evening. Both teams put up a commendable fight for much of the first half, but CNU took the lead when sophomore defender Danielle Pratt scored the first goal after 40 minutes.
“It was a great battle in the first half,” Head Coach Sue Patberg said. “I thought there were times when they had a little bit more momentum, a little bit more possession of the game, a little bit more dangerous opportunities.”
The Eagles picked up momentum in the second half when Emory sophomore forward Caroline Kolski put the ball in the bottom left of the Captains’ net from 20 yards out in the 60th minute, marking her first goal of the season.
“We got a better match-up in the midfield and then we started really just winning 50-50 balls and pushing the ball forward and that was big difference-maker for us, just competing more, being more physical, being first to the ball,” Patberg said.
The game went into overtime, as neither team gained the upper hand. Finally, with 98 minutes on the clock, CNU freshman forward Carson Pokorny got a through ball from 15 yards out past sophomore goalie Haley Pratt, giving CNU the 2-1 road win. The loss set the Eagles back to a 3-2-0 ledger.
“It was extremely disappointing,” Patberg said. “We got scored on two of our own mistakes. We made mistakes. [CNU] didn’t create those opportunities.”
On the same field Sunday afternoon, the Eagles soared and achieved a 5-0 victory over the Birmingham-Southern Panthers. In the first 39 seconds, Emory set the tone with a header put on goal by freshman midfielder Samantha Hilsee. Throughout the match, Emory delivered five successful shots on goal by Hilsee, sophomore forward Shivani Beall, senior midfielder Melinda Altamore, junior defender/forward Danielle Darius and junior forward Abbe McCarter.
“Our practices are getting more intense, getting ready for [University Athletic Association conference games] and whatnot, but I definitely think [the competition is] prepping us for what’s coming,” Darius said. “All the rough games we’ve had — Johns Hopkins, Christopher Newport — were mistakes that we made, and we’re learning from it, so by the time we get to UAAs I think we’re going to be great.”
Emory’s next match will be against Sewanee (Tenn.) Sept. 20, at 6 p.m.
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