ROSEMONT, Pa.—Eastern Women's Soccer started out slow in Wednesday's match at Rosemont College, but went on to score six times in the game's final 50 minutes.
Eastern defeated the Rosemont Ravens 6-1 behind three goals from sophomore forward Emily Cole (Winfield, Pa./ Lewisburg) and eight saves by sophomore Jules Leco (Wilkes Barre, Pa./ G.A.R.) who made her first collegiate start. Sophomore Lydia Peachey (Lititz, Pa./ Lancaster Mennonite) scored her first goal of the season, and freshmen Allison Speese (Dillsburg, Pa./ Northern) and Amber Stirling (Gap, Pa./ Octorara) scored their first collegiate goals.
Eagles' head coach Dan Mouw said that in the first half, the team struggled to get balls to the forwards' feet, and when they did get a few opportunities, those opportunities were rushed. However, in the second half, Coach Mouw said that forwards Emily Cole and Emily Roquemore (Camp Hill, Pa./ Cumberland Valley) made adjustments that allowed them to find more space and more time on the ball resulting in better shots.
Eastern missed its first eight shots to start the game, but in the 41st minute the Eagles' freshman Allison Speese volleyed home a corner kick served up by freshman Courtney Davis (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./ Egg Harbor). “We came into this year believing we would score (regularly) on corner kicks,” coach Mouw said. “This might be the best we've been in the air.”
Davis picked up her second assist of the game with a long cross from the right wing past both of Eastern's forwards all the way to the back post where midfielder Lydia Peachey knocked it in.
Ten minutes later, Cole stung her first goal of the game after a nice cross from Roquemore. Coach Mouw commented that once Cole has the chance to square her hips with the goal, she's very hard to stop. “That first goal was nice,” he said. “She's got great finishing ability.”
After Rosemont ended the shutout with an own goal in the 73rd minute, Cole went on to score in the 74th minute and 76th minute to complete the hat trick. Cole's three goals Wednesday equal her 2013 season total.
Freshman Amber Stirling buried the Eagles' sixth and final goal in the 88th minute on a 1-v-1 with the goalie set up by a great through-ball by Laura Martin.
Martin had set up the play after receiving a quick, long throw by goalie Jules Leco. Coach Mouw commended Leco's distribution decisions as well as her defensive play. "We were without our senior goalkeeper, and Jules stepped in and was ready to play,” he said. "She made some really good stops and I thought our defense played really well in front of her.”
Eastern (1-1) hosts Dickinson College on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Box Score
