The GW women’s soccer team opened the season splitting two games at the University of Central Florida Invitational this weekend. The Colonials lost the final game to UCF 1-0 Sunday after beating Jacksonville University 2-1 Friday.
Kim Warner, who led GW with eight goals last season, scored both of the team’s goals against Jacksonville.
UCF (2-0) won the four-team tournament, beating Quinnipiac (0-2) Friday before defeating GW. Warner, Ina Kain and Lise Backman were named to the all-tournament team for GW.
Sunday’s game was GW’s first loss of the season and marked the second straight shutout victory for the Golden Knights, but captain Caite Terranova said the team was positive about its first two games.
“Overall the weekend was good and it was impressive the way we pulled together,” she said. “We moved the ball around well, we’re looking strong early in the season and we’re ready for our next match.”
In Sunday’s shutout loss, the Colonials (1-1) were dominated by UCF’s defense, getting off only ten shots to UCF’s 22.
UCF’s Nicole Cieslak headed the ball in off a corner kick from teammate Jennifer Montgomery to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute. GW then fired several shots on goal but hit the crossbar four times and could not convert any scoring opportunities. The game was called in the 88th minute due to thunderstorms.
Warner won Friday’s season opener with a late shot off a corner kick in the 76th minute to break the 1-1 tie and avoid overtime.
The goal showed Warner’s perseverance, coming moments after Jacksonville defenders blocked Warner’s shot off the rebound of her first attempt. Dolphin goalkeeper Stephanie Fowler recorded seven saves, one more than the six made by GW goalkeeper Christine O’Malley.
Warner scored her first goal on a pass from Kain, a freshman, in the 29th minute.
Jacksonville (1-1) tied the game in the second half when Brooke Moore scored on a pass from Inge Heiremans, but was never able to take the lead.
Terranova said the opening win set the team on the right track.
“Winning the season opener was awesome,” she said. “We have a lot of depth and we just have to put on the final touches going into our season.”
The win echoed last year’s season-opening win against Howard, in which the Colonials took a 4-3 victory at the recently-opened Mt. Vernon field. Warner scored the first goal in that game and kicked another ball through the net with eight minutes left in the first half.
The Colonials return to action next Friday, in their home opener against Wagner College at 4 p.m.
