(Box Score) Huntington, IN — Looking to knock off Mid-Central Conference rival Huntington University for the fourth time in the last five years, the Goshen College women’s soccer team came up just short Friday afternoon, dropping a 2-1, overtime decision to the host Foresters.
Goshen (1-6-1, 0-2) could not duplicate the kind of play that yielded a narrow, 1-0 defeat to MCC foe Spring Arbor University just two days earlier, as Huntington was able to expose the Leafs’ defense for a pair of scores late in the game.
Over the past five seasons, the Leafs have defeated no league opponent with the regularity of Huntington — Goshen posts a 3-2 mark against the Foresters during that span — while head coach Thavisith Mounsithiraj said a golden opportunity slipped away Friday night.
“We came away with a very frustrating loss tonight,” Mounsithiraj said. “I continue to be encouraged by our play at times, but our inability to finish continues to haunt us.”
That scoring inaptitude was especially disdainful on Friday, as Goshen was statistically close to Huntington in total shots (the Foresters took 14 to the Leafs’ six). After a scoreless first period of play, Huntington’s Hannah Kaufman finally broke through Goshen’s defense, taking a pass from teammate Laura Perry and placing the ball past junior goalkeeper Emmy Gibson at the 78th-minute mark.
Mounsithiraj credited his team with some resolve, however, as freshman Yaneth Hernandez was able to tie the game literally seconds following Kaufman’s score. After junior Trish Hershberger pushed the ball upfield following the ensuing kick off, Hernandez was able to pick up the ball inside the Foresters’ 18-yard box, weave through a pair of defenders and place a brilliant shot at the far post with 78:43 eclipsed.
It was a brand new ballgame.
“We came right back after being scored on and kept up the attack,” Mounsithiraj said. “We had many quality looks at the goal, most of which were inside their 18-box. Yaneth Hernandez was her usual self in aggressively shielding and possessing the ball from defenders while attacking their defense with her dribbling. She was rewarded with a beautiful goal in the second half.”
Things got bleaker for Goshen following Hernandez’s score, however, as the Foresters began pushing forward late. Gibson turned out to be crucial — again — in helping the Leafs’ cause, finishing with nine saves on the afternoon.
“If it weren’t for the play of Emmy Gibson, this thing could have got ugly,” said Tera Furman, Goshen assistant coach. “She had quite a few spectacular saves, many of which came off of direct, one on one opportunities.”
With the Leafs’ defense hurting —“we struggled late in our defensive transition,” Mounsithiraj would say — Gibson came up with perhaps the biggest save of the afternoon, denying Huntington’s Bethany McGraw in a one on one situation moments before the end of regulation.
Unfortunately for Gibson, McGraw would get another clear-out chance just six minutes into the first extra period, this time making good on her chance and concluding the contest.
“We did good job in looking to our outside midfielders to create chances today,” Mounsithiraj said. “Trish Hershberger, (sophomore) Allison Yoder and (freshman) Kat Luginbuhl were able to make many quality runs that had created opportunity in front of the goal. There continues to be things that we need to clean up. Overall, I believe this is a very solid team. We will continue to get better.”
Goshen will take a brief pause from MCC competition next, as Franklin College will visit the Goshen College Soccer Complex Wednesday. Match time is set for 7 p.m.
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Freshman Yaneth Hernandez