(Box Score) Goshen, IN — Coming into Saturday afternoon’s Mid-Central Conference match-up with Grace College, history was not in favor of Goshen’s chances.
While extremely competitive, the Goshen College women’s soccer team had dropped seven of its previous eight contests with the Lancers by a single goal each time. Save for a 1-1 tie back in the 2002 season, it was a chunk of history that comprised the program’s last eight years.
The Leafs were hoping to dramatically change that trend.
They could only slightly alter it.
Goshen (2-6-2, 0-2-1) used a late-game surge to escape the Goshen College Soccer Complex with a 1-1, double-overtime tie Saturday, thwarting what looked to be an ominous sign just minutes before halftime: Freshman Heather Zimmerman was whistled for a foul inside the Lancers’ 18-yard box with just nine minutes remaining in the first period, allowing Grace to cash in on a penalty kick for — gasp — a one goal lead.
It would come down to late-game heroics from a variety of Goshen players to break the recent spell against the Lancers, leaving Goshen head coach Thavisith Mounsithiraj thankful at the game’s conclusion.
“There is no question that we expected a very, very close game with Grace this afternoon,” Mounsithiraj said. “Anytime the history books read the way this one does, you’re talking about two very closely matched teams. Our pregame conversation and emphasis was that we needed to work hard and earn one from Grace. We didn’t come away with the win nor did we give up a game, either. While we would have liked to get (a conference win) here at home, we were certainly pleased with how the team responded today.”
Saturday’s match was a pristine example of the teams’ recent history, as the game was played evenly from the opening kick-off. Each team would conclude the match with 11 total shots, with Grace holding a slight 7-6 advantage in shots on goal.
The Leafs’ only visible miscue on the scoreboard came in the form of Zimmerman’s aforementioned foul in the box, as the Lancers’ Laura Burns placed a low shot to the right post on the ensuing PK at the 35:49 mark.
“We made a couple of tactical substitutions in the second half to take advantage of what we observed to be Grace’s tendencies and the referee’s tendencies in this match,” Mounsithiraj said. “What made us especially effective was that we have the flexibility in our personnel to make adjustments based on what Grace was doing and when we have players who are off their game a little bit.”
Mounsithiraj was benefited by the return of freshman Chelsea Graber, who suffered what appeared to be a severe lower leg injury against Eastern Mennonite University on Sept. 15 (click here for related article). After two weeks of inactivity, Graber returned as a force in the outside midfield, helping Goshen put together more and more scoring pushes as the game progressed during the second period.
“The team did an excellent job in organizing our attack,” Mounsithiraj said. “I thought the central mid of (seniors) Lucy Roth and Sara Groff did a solid job in recognizing space and distributing the ball. Lucy’s running down the ball throughout the match was effective in stretching out the middle of the field and it also gave her and Sara a couple of good looks on top of the 18.”
Goshen’s score came with just 2:24 remaining in regulation, as sophomore Kaylee Pichardo secured the ball just outside of Grace’s 18-yard box. Dribbling in traffic, Pichardo sent a perfect chip to Graber, who was streaking down the right hand side of the field. Graber pushed the ball into frame, and a rush for possession ensued. Fortunately for the Leafs, freshman Yaneth Hernandez was there to come away with it, calmly blasting a point-blank shot into back of the net for her fourth goal of the season.
“The girls found themselves down early in the match and had the resolve to come back and even things up,” Mounsithiraj said. “Yani was once again rewarded with a goal for her relentlessness in attacking the goal. She hates losing a ball and presses extremely hard to possess it.”
Perhaps teasing in nature, an eerily similar situation occurred midway through the first overtime period, as Goshen had the best chance to capture a win in either of the extra sessions. With just four minutes remaining in the first overtime, another dangerous loose ball directly in front of the Lancers’ goal seemed to surely be a goal for the Leafs. Roth and Hernandez both had a chance to push the ball into the net, but a deflected first shot led to another that caromed off the near post, ending the threat amid collective gasps from the crowd.
“Our backs got involved early and often today, and that helped our attack tremendously,” Mounsithiraj said. “(Sophomore) Ali Gotwals and (junior) Amy Clem continue to give us all types of space from the wide position. Their distribution was solid. We placed (sophomore) Liz Nafziger at the stopper position to press a little bit more offensively and to give us numbers in the middle. Our team played well and they were fun to watch today.”
Goshen will return to the Goshen College Soccer Complex on Wednesday, when the team will host MCC rival Taylor University at 7 p.m. The Leafs will be looking to re-write a bit of history against the Trojans as well: The Leafs have only beaten Taylor once in the 17-year history of the Goshen program.
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Sophomore Ali Gotwals