SARAH WANDOR
STAFF WRITER
The Franciscan University of Steubenville women’s soccer team put in a late goal to tie the match 1-1 against the D’Youville College Spartans at home Saturday, Oct. 26.
Sophomore forward Claire Dawyot kicked the game off with a beautiful shot on net, but it was saved by the D’Youville goalkeeper. The aggressiveness of the game picked up afterward with attempts from the Spartans trying to get the upper hand, but the Lady Barons held them back and remained on even ground.
The ball went back and forth with neither team able to get past the others’ defense. Senior midfielder Hannah Doyle’s shot but went wide, and senior midfielder Sarah Cocozza ripped a shot after receiving the ball but missed as well. The Spartans had little time to recover from these attempts as the Barons bombarded them with many shots from multiple players, but they were unable to earn a goal. The half ended with neither team able to put a number on the board.
In the second half, the Lady Barons possessed the ball well, and senior midfielder Katie Kilian had a promising shot, but it was saved by the D’Youville goalie. Soon after, the Spartans gained possession of the ball, crossed it and were able to score, making the score 1-0.
The Lady Barons did not back down and fought to come back with a goal of their own. As the game continued, the team played more aggressively with shots from Doyle and junior forward Marykate Bateman, but they couldn’t seem to find the net.
The Spartans stood their ground until junior forward Kaitrin O’Leary gained control of the ball and launched the perfect shot to tie the game with less than seven minutes left. The intensity increased on both sides as they tried to put more points on the board. The Lady Barons fought to the end of the game, which ended in a 1-1 tie against the Spartans.
Head coach Christyn Bobak was proud of the way her team fought in the match. “So proud of our girls’ play this game,” said Bobak. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t put in another goal to seal a win, but the girls worked relentlessly — couldn’t have asked for more!”
The Lady Barons soccer team heads to the conference tournament Nov. 2. They will take on Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania.