By Tori Ripple
Elm Staff Writer
Last Saturday, the visiting Shorewomen played the Gophers in their first game of the season. After a long game that went into double overtime, the score ended with a tie of 1-1. To start the game off Goucher scored early with a wide shot to the corner, only 1:36 into the game. After that the Gophers did not shoot again until the 33rd minute, but the Shorewomen got off 10 shots before the half. Sophomore Ainsley Boynton scored an unassisted goal at 56:24 in the second half. The last shot of regulated time was by junior Gabrielle Devaud but it went wide leaving the score tied at 88:10. This left the Shorewomen and Goucher to enter their first overtime period of ten minutes. During the first overtime, sophomore Katie Bradley had a high shot that went over the goal at 94:24. Junior Jennifer Kiarsis, Devaud, and Bradley all had shots in the second overtime that were saved by the Gopher’s goalkeeper. To end the game, junior goalkeeper Victoria Ripple made a save with 16 seconds left, followed by another save with two seconds left, ending the second overtime in a tie. Washington College led the shots 22-11, while Goucher had an 8-4 edge in corner kicks. Ripple had five saves in the game, allowing one goal.
“I am very happy with how the team looks in comparison to this time last season,” said head coach Julika Blankenship. We played pretty soccer overall last Saturday, but struggled finishing. Our overall shape, organization and communication looked great but we have to be able to score goals. I have very high hopes for the remainder of the season and I am very confident that we will have a much improved season from last year. Realistically, we should be over .500 in the 2010 season which will be the best season in years for Washington College. We hope to make a name for ourselves in the Conference and be a much bigger threat to all the CC schools.”
The Shorewomen will be competing in their first home game of the season Saturday at 4 p.m. against Cabrini.