Free soccer was the theme of the weekend as the women’s soccer team was unable to reach a result in regulation in both of its matches. The team improved to 9-3-1 (1-2-1 Big East) on the year with 2-1 double-overtime win over Providence, on Thursday and a 1-1 draw against Seton Hall on Sunday.
The Jays squared off with the Seton Hall Pirates (3-7-3, 0-3-1 Big East) on Sunday afternoon at Morrison Stadium in hopes of another big win to improve their place in the conference standings.
For the majority of the first half, neither team was able to gain a significant edge. The teams finished the half with a combined
seven shots.
Toward the end of the half, the Jays seemed to have the momentum swing in their favor but were unable to capitalize on any of their four shots.
In the second half, it was the Pirates who struck first, earning a penalty kick in the
54th minute.
A shot fired from inside the box deflected off the arm of senior defender Madelyn Buckner, awarding the Pirates the penalty opportunity.
A rolling shot beat sophomore goalkeeper Danielle Rice to the corner and gave the Pirates the 1-0 lead.
The Jays struck right back, however, as another handball in the box gave the Jays their own opportunity to score.
Sophomore midfielder Ylenia Sachau took the penalty kick and placed the ball perfectly in the upper right corner to knot the game in the 58th minute.
The successful penalty kick was Sachau’s fourth goal of the season.
“It was very important for us to respond quickly,” Sachau said. “But I think we should have gotten a second goal afterwards because our energy was so good on the field.
“I just thought we were way better; we had many chances; we just have to put them away.”
Buckner agree that the second goal was essential to gaining momentum.
“I think we needed that to get us back in the game,” Buckner said. “It also helped in the second half having the wind behind us. I think that helped us get a lot more chances and shots.”
The teams would finish regulation tied, but the Jays had a handle on the momentum going into the overtime period.
The Jays outshot the Pirates 13-6 in the second half and narrowly missed numerous opportunities to take the lead.
The Jays outshot the Pirates 2-1 in each of the overtimes, but neither team was able to find the game-winner.
Despite outshooting the Pirates 21-11 and taking seven more corners, the Jays were unable to snatch a crucial win at home.
“They expected a win,” coach Bruce
Erickson said. “I think that’s why they’re disappointed,”
“Today was one where we probably had more chances than any of the other times that we found a way to win. We just didn’t finish.”
On Thursday night, it was the Jays who were outshot by the Providence Friars (5-5-2, 1-2-0 Big East), but they found a way to win in double overtime off of a goal from senior forward Addison Nokels.
The Jays again showed their resilience in responding quickly after the Friars struck first in the 35th minute off of a centering pass from just outside of the six-yard box left the
Bluejays defenseless.
A Providence foul in the box set Sachau up for a penalty kick, which she buried in the right corner to tie the game again in the 36th minute.
Neither team was able to find the back of the net for the rest of regulation.
The Friars outshot the Jays 19-9, and Rice responded with 12 saves.
After one scoreless overtime period, the Jays found a winner in the 106th minute.
Junior forward Kirstyn Corder broke down the Providence defense and sent the ball to Nokels who finished past the sliding goalkeeper from the right side to earn her third goal of the season and her second game-winner.
The Jays were outshot 21-12 in the game, giving way to Danielle Rice’s career-high 14 saves in the match.
The Jays will play only one match in the next week, as they take on the No. 15 DePaul Blue Demons (11-0-2, 3-0-1 Big East) on the road. The teams will square off at Wish Field in Chicago at 3 p.m. on Saturday.