With a one-week break before conference play, the women’s soccer team takes a 3-2-3 record into the heart of its season, but questions still linger about whether the team can earn an Atlantic 10 tournament berth.
After a solid win on Friday night against Howard, the Colonials finally put a notch in the win column, breaking a string of three straight ties.
“It was needed. It was a really good step moving into conference,” head coach Sarah Barnes said. “I was concerned about their physicality and I was concerned about the pressure that we may have been putting on ourselves to finish, because that has been a challenge for us.”
Strengths going into A-10 play:
Over their last five games, in which the Colonials have gone 2-0-3, the defense has allowed three fewer goals than their opponents. Additionally, the back line has given up far fewer shots on goal, a testament to GW’s strong defense, anchored by senior Melanie Keer and junior Elizabeth Casey.
The stingy defense has greatly lightened the load for senior goalkeeper Nicole Ulrick, forcing her to make only 14 saves on the year – 12 fewer than opponents’ goalkeepers. Ulrick and the defense have allowed just 10 goals all season.
One way the Colonials have limited strikes on goal has been maintaining possession for most of the game. Their offense, despite the inability to finish off scoring opportunities, is able to hold onto the ball and put pressure on the opposing team’s goalies.
In the game against Howard, freshman forward Lina Proska said the team’s plan was to keep possession and attack the goalie’s weakness. GW would go on to win 3-1 over the Bison, outshooting Howard 15-4 and scoring twice in the second half to take the lead.
“We wanted to stretch the field out and make sure we kept shooting low, because the goalie has really good hands,” Proska said. “And I thought we did a successful job in the second half,”
Weaknesses before A-10 play:
The biggest problem for the Colonials has been their inability to take advantage of scoring opportunities, even, for example, in the win against Howard. GW had seven shots on goal and 11 corner kicks – none of which resulted in a score.
The Colonials have outshot their opponents 81-35 in the last five games and have led the shots on goal category at 33-13.
One way the Colonials may find the back of the net is through the help of sophomore forward Kristi Abbate, who led the team in points last year. In the game against Loyola Maryland, she stunned defenders with her intricate footwork and quick passes, but could not push a goal across. She said after the game that she was in her own head, trying too hard to score.
In the game against Howard, Abbate had two fairly open looks in the box, but overhit both balls. Barnes said she understands her striker is having a difficult time, but expressed confidence in her to get it done on offense.
“I think when you miss a couple, you start thinking, ‘I gotta put this one away, don’t miss this one,’ and I think that’s a hard thing to get out of, and she’s just got to keep her focus on, like, ‘I’ll get the next one, I’ll get the next one,'” Barnes said.
Another possible strategy for the team may be to begin surprising their opponents by taking riskier shots, like the strike from senior Jane Wallis that found the back of the net and put GW ahead against Howard.
“We were trying to play through the gaps a lot and trying to constantly play people in, so I think they were a little caught off guard that we took that shot from the top of box, as opposed to just trying to flood the balls through,” Wallis said after the game.
A more efficient, aggressive attack, led by Abbate and Wallis, should help the Colonials turn some of their ties into wins, and lead to positive outcomes against A-10 opponents.
