In the sports world, it is widely believed that a team makes its biggest improvement from the first week of play to the second.
Despite suffering its first loss of the season to Belhaven College 2-0 on Saturday afternoon in Jackson, Miss., the Loyola women’s soccer team (2-1-1) is no exception to this rule.
“Our major improvement came in consistency,” Head Coach Emmy Therrell said. “Also, our mental toughness improved because I felt like our second game (of the season) demonstrated just how much momentum can change when the other team scores a goal.”
Since Belhaven College advanced to the quarterfinals of the national NAIA tournament last season, it automatically received the number eight ranking in the country. The Blazers (3-0-1) showed their dominance by consistently keeping the ball on the ‘Pack’s defensive end and out shooting the ‘Pack 23 to 2.
Belhaven jumped out to an early lead with a questionable goal in the third minute of the game. Jessica Salgado’s shot forced ‘Pack goalie Leila Manouchehri, sociology junior, to make the save from inside her goal. The controversy came when the head referee could not tell if the ball had crossed the plane of the goal. A look to his assistant referee, who signaled from the sideline, clarified that it was a goal. Therrell does not not agree with the call.
“I could not tell for certain from where I was watching, but all my players said that it was not a goal,” she said. “Manouchehri swears it was not, and the Belhaven players certainly did not react as if they had scored a goal.”
Although the team had trouble generating offense and played on its heels nearly the entire game, the ‘Pack did not allow the Blazers to score again until the 85th minute.
Blazer Ashley Manuel scored after a misplayed clearance by the defense. The ball sailed across the ‘Pack’s penalty area where Manuel pounced on the ball. Increasing the difficulty of playing a ranked opponent on the road, Therrell estimates that her team played between 40 and 50 percent of the game with only 10 players due to an assortment of injuries.
“Our team never quit and didn’t even seem to realize that we were a man down,” Therrell said. “The 11th player would get injured, step off the field, get some medical attention, and step back on the field. We were kinda shocked [by the first goal] but that didn’t stop our intensity. I’m very pleased that the score was 2-0.”
On a winning note, the team defeated Louisiana College in Pineville on Sept. 6 by the score of 3-0.
Co-captain Clare Springer, biology junior, scored the game-winning goal with a rocket, blowing away the keeper. Later in the first half, co-captain Anna Weldon, education senior, gave the ‘Pack a two-goal lead.
After the ‘Pack earned a free kick just outside the penalty box, Weldon banged the ball to the upper corner of the far post. It was Weldon’s second goal this season on a free kick around the 18-yard box.
Starting forward Michaela Bono, general studies freshman, scored her first career NAIA goal in the 85th minute. As the ball was lofted into the box, Louisiana College’s defense failed in clearing the ball, and Bono was there to knock the ball in the back of the net.
“I was frustrated because I was taking lots of shots and none of them were going in,” she said. “Finally, I shot it over the goalie’s hands and into the goal. I felt relieved and excited. Hopefully, it will be the first of many to come.”
The defense pitched a shutout on Louisiana College’s talented, physical forward. This was mostly due to the efforts of stopper and co-captain Lisa Lester, communications senior. According to Therrell, it was a collective defensive effort but Lester dominated their forward by winning every ball in the air.
The ‘Pack continued its week with a huge challenge on Wednesday night against the Louisiana State University Tigers, a Division I school. Therrell planned to employ a defensive strategy against the Tigers.
“When we play LSU, we will use the same strategy that we tried out against Bellhaven, which means we have to condense our defensive shape and make smart choices when we open up to attack,” she said. “We particularly have to take advantage of our opportunities. We have to make it happen because we won’t get a lot of them.”
The ‘Pack fell to the Tigers 7-0 in Baton Rouge on Wednesday night. The Tigers opened the scoring early hitting the back of the net twice in the opening minutes.
According to Lester, the team still played well.
“For being over matched, we stayed in the game,” she said. “We never put our heads down. We never got frustrated.”
The ‘Pack will play its home opener tonight at 6 p.m. against Spring Hill College at the ‘Fly. The ‘Pack continues its home stand Sunday against Ouachita Baptist at 11 a.m.
