(Box Score) Mishawaka, IN — Just two days after winning its first Mid-Central Conference match of the season and defeating Taylor University for only the second time in program history (click here for related article), the Goshen College women’s soccer team was at it again, taking out league rival Bethel College by a 2-0 score Friday evening.
Similar to Thursday’s match with the Trojans, Friday’s contest signified the first time since the 1997 season that a Goshen team had claimed back-to-back MCC decisions, while the Leafs’ last win over Bethel came on Oct. 16, 2002.
Goshen head coach Thavisith Mounsithiraj said he doesn’t mind re-writing the record books, as the sixth-year head coach has now witnessed his team give him his first coaching wins over Taylor and at Bethel in consecutive games.
“We needed to have another quality match and the girls delivered tonight,” Mounsithiraj said. “We had another solid possession game from our midfielders tonight which allowed us to create scoring opportunities in the final third. We are beginning to play with more confidence and purpose, and that has keyed our results.”
Goshen (4-6-2, 2-2-1) used a 29-second outburst to shelve the host Pilots midway through the first half Friday night, as the Leafs’ scores occurred at the 18:54- and 19:23-minute marks.
The first came courtesy of sophomore forward Kaylee Pichardo, who tallied her team-leading sixth score of the season after outworking Bethel defenders for a tap-in goal. Pichardo was able to steal a ball from a Pilots’ defender just inside the 18-yard box, and kept the ball away from sliding Bethel goalkeeper Elyse Powell en route to easily tucking the ball into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Almost instantly after the ball was put back into play, Goshen would find the net again, as a punt from junior goalkeeper Emmy Gibson would eventually turn into a spectacular score from sophomore Trish Hershberger. Gibson’s boot landed at the feet of senior Lucy Roth, who pushed a lateral ball to Hershberger just inside of midfield. Hershberger set up and then one-touched a brilliantly served 35-yard shot into the upper corner of the net, surprising even her teammates at the score.
“Trish’s goal was one of the best I’ve seen this season,” Mounsithiraj said. “Lucy Roth gave her an excellent through ball and she made the run from her outside mid position. She cut the ball inside and with quality, pace and accuracy placed the ball in the corner. Excellent finish, excellent build up.”
With a two-goal lead in hand, Mounsithiraj’s team turned to the increasingly better play of its defense, as Gibson, junior Amy Clem, sophomore Alli Gotwals, sophomore Liz Nafziger and freshman Liz Gunden kept Bethel at bay for the remaining 70 minutes. Bethel was credited with a 24 to 13 advantage in total shots on the night, but only five were on goal — Goshen carded 11 shots on the Pilots’ frame.
Even while Bethel was able to maintain the majority of second-half possession on the Leafs’ defensive half of the field, Goshen got to most balls before they came to Gibson, who finished with five saves in her fifth shutout performance of the season.
“Our defense continued to perform solidly despite Bethel’s quickness up front,” Mounsithiraj said. “I believe we are playing very well in the back right now, and it was another solid shutout for Emmy. We’ve put together a number of quality combinations in our last couple of games, and we need to keep improving in that area if we want to have a chance at beating the elite teams in our league.”
Goshen will get a tangible test in that regard immediately, as the Leafs’ will host MCC-leader and 21st-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University on Tuesday. The Wildcats are 13-1 overall and have yet to drop a league contest, sporting a 5-0 MCC record. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
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Sophomore Trish Hershberger