EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – Eastern Women's Soccer dropped a tough 1-0 match at Wilkes University. The Colonels scored in the 29th minute and held off a furious second half Eastern push to claim an important win in MAC Freedom play.
Wilkes (5-8-2; 2-2-1 MAC Freedom) tallied four shots in the first eight minutes of the match.
Adrianna Swinehart made three of her six saves in the early going.
The only goal in the match came from what seemed to be a harmless situation. Courtney Krasnomowitz picked up a loose ball near midfield on an Eastern goal kick. Her long pass went over the Eastern back row and Nicolette Towlenand broke through and slid the ball past the onrushing Swinehart for a 1-0 lead. It was a lead the Colonels would never give up.
"It was a really tough goal to give up," stated head Coach
Dan Mouw. "We lost focus for a moment and they made us pay. It is especially difficult to stomach because we had the ball on a dead ball situation."
Eastern (6-9-1; 2-3 MAC Freedom) had the best chance of the first half in the 37th minute.
Emily Cole beat her defender to the middle of the field and hit a high shot that Kate Mahoney, the Colonels goalkeeper, tipped over the bar and into the underside of the football goalpost. Mahoney finished the match with ten saves.
The Eagles pushed the action throughout the second half. Every time the Eastern attack created a chance, Mahoney was in the right spot to make the stop. Eastern put six shots on frame after the intermission. Cole had two golden opportunities turned away by Mahoney in the final 10 minutes of the match. The best chance of the game came on a beautifully weighted pass to Cole from
Caroline Lozzi. Cole's ninth shot of the match was a good one, but Mahoney reacted well to turn away what seemed certain to be a game-tying goal.
"We brought great energy in the secon half," Mouw continued, "but we could not sneak one in. The save their goalkeeper made late was really spectacular. We need to have the same urgency that we brought to the last forty-five minutes whenever we step on the field."
The Eagles are still very much alive in the MAC Freedom playoff picture with two games to play.
They will play at King's College on Saturday and then host FDU in the season finale on Halloween.
