Women’s soccer claimed its first Big East win of the season Sunday backed by a pair of first half penalty kicks against Seton Hall, their first win in over a month.
Prior to Sunday, after a hot start of 7-1-1, the injury-riddled Jays dropped points in each of their last seven matches each by a margin of two or less goals, including five straight losses to Big East teams.
“We’ve been playing well, but just falling short,” coach Ross Paule said. “My team has kept an amazing attitude, a great mentality of continuing to do the right things, continuing to push, and a win was going to come.”
In the match, after 25 minutes of back-and-forth possession between the Pirates and the Bluejays, substitute freshman forward Hailey Rothwell drew and buried a penalty into the lower right corner to give the Jays the lead.
Just eight minutes later sophomore midfielder, and team leader in goals and points, Abigail Santana drew a penalty in similar fashion at about the same spot inside the box, which despite a strong hand from the Seton Hall keeper, powered it’s way in for another Bluejay goal.
“I love having a freshman that is going to step up in a very key moment, take the risk and be the game changer, and obviously Santana is another one; she’s a finisher,” Paule said.
In the second half neither team could create any clear-cut chances, aside from a turnover by the Creighton defense late in the match, which left junior goalkeeper Keelan Terrell in a one-on-one situation with a Pirate attacker.
Terrell calmly saved the shot after the attacker lost her footing, one of four saves on the day, en route to her seventh shutout of the season and first since the Jays last won a game a month ago and had a streak of over 500 minutes without allowing a goal.
“Keelan works hard,” Rothwell said. “She’s just a brick wall back there and I think [the defense’s] mentality of putting their butts on the line and protecting her is what helps.”
After posting a career-high 11 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss to Connecticut last Thursday, Terrell’s two strong showings earned her a spot on the Big East Honor Roll for the week.
Turnovers were a major issue for the Jays in Sunday’s win, however, as the team misplayed touches both in the attacking third and defensive thirds, handing possession over to Seton Hall.
“There were too many simple giveaways with no pressure, and these are players that know that they’re going to be accountable for it,” Paule said. “We need to have the other team work for their chances and not give them to them.”
The win is a huge step back in the right direction for the Bluejays who, with just three matches remaining, will hope to start another needed win streak to earn a spot in the Big East tournament.
“A win is a nice relief for the hard work that we’ve put in, and I think there’s been a shift in energy, and it’s a good shift in energy,” Rothwell said.
The Jays (7-7-2) will look to continue this energy and momentum towards postseason competition with another important Big East home match Sunday against DePaul.