ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Women's Soccer sophomore forward Emily Cole scored her team-best ninth goal of the year to tie Wednesday's game with Ursinus College at 1-1 late in the first half. However, the Ursinus Bears broke the tie in the 73rd minute on Valerie Bedrock's second goal of the game and held on for the 2-1 non-conference win.
Eastern Eagles' goalie Jules Leco recorded six saves and was tested right away off the opening kick. Fourteen seconds into the match, Ursinus slipped a through-ball past Eastern's backline and fired a shot from the left wing that Leco had to dive at to stop. Leco made a similar save in the 25th minute, denying Ursinus' leading scorer Jeannie Jasinski on a shot from eight yards off the left post to keep the game knotted at 0-0.
The Bears took the 1-0 lead in the 29th minute as Bedrock launched an upper-90 strike from 25-yards out.
Eastern's Emily Cole netted the game-tying goal with eight minutes to spare in the first half. The Eagles' pressured the Bears' backline as the Bears tried to play a goal kick short. Eagles' freshman midfielder Alondra Cervantes intercepted a pass and found Cole cutting to the middle of the 18. Cole dribbled to her right, past two defenders and lofted a right-footed shot over the outstretched hands of Ursinus goalkeeper Courtney Sullivan.
The Eagles took 12 total shots and six on goal, but that was the only shot they put past Sullivan. Eastern freshman Allison Speese stung a blazing shot off the crossbar from 20-yards out in the 59th minute that, had it been just a few inches lower, would have given Eastern the lead.
The Bears and Eagles remained knotted at 1-1 until the 73rd minute when Bedrock headed in the game-winner off a cross from the right wing by Jacqueline Smiler.
Ursinus improved to 8-6-2 on the year while Eastern took a step back to 5-13.
For the Eagles, their regular season comes to an end on Saturday when they host Wilkes University at noon. With four teams tied at 2-4 for 5th place in the conference, to get the fourth and final seed the Eagles need to win Saturday's game and have FDU-Florham either lose or tie at Delaware Valley College. Delaware Valley has already guaranteed that they have the third seed. The Eastern/Wilkes and Delaware Valley/FDU-Florham games are happening concurrently at noon Saturday.
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