This post was written by Hatchet reporter Scott Nover.
The first game between a GW team and Atlantic 10 newcomer Davidson on Friday also marked a personal first for one player in a match that did not see much action otherwise.
The Colonials were awarded a penalty kick in the first half after a Davidson defender was called for a handball in the box. Junior defender Emily Brown immediately volunteered to take the shot, squared up to the ball and sent the opposing goalkeeper the wrong way for her first collegiate goal, the difference in a 1-0 GW victory.
“I think I’m one of the weird people who actually likes taking penalty kicks,” Brown said. “So as soon as I saw it happen, I was ready. Then I start running down the field like ‘Pick me, pick me.’ It just came down to that confidence, knowing where I wanted to play the ball.”
The penalty was the first awarded to GW this season. It not only marked Brown’s first collegiate goal, but also her first collegiate shot. The defender, who did not see playing time as a freshman and got only 22 minutes as a sophomore, has become a regular contributor in her junior season, starting eight games and seeing action in all 13.
Coming off a 2-1 win against Massachusetts last week, GW entered Friday’s game looking to add to its four conference points earned with a loss, a win and a tie through three A-10 games. Continuing the pattern of mixed results, the team’s play was shaky throughout. But the Colonials’ set of potent attackers had staggered moments of brilliance on the field.
Junior midfielder Kristi Abbate commanded much of the action, with impressive runs through the Davidson defense. But even with her ball control and impressive work from sophomore forward Mackenzie Cowley, GW could not find a goal in live action and forced the Davidson goalie to make only two saves.
“It’s sort of been similar to the last couple home games we’ve had, where I thought we had a better first half than second half, although we started a little shaky,” head coach Sarah Barnes said. “And for us, I think the bottom line is we’ve just got to do a better job of putting full games together, 90 minutes together.”
GW outshot the Wildcats 7-1 in the first half but just 10-6 in the game, and had four corner kicks to Davidson’s zero in the first half only to have four apiece in the second.
Able defending spearheaded by senior co-captain Alex Brothers kept GW ahead, particularly in the second half, and helped redshirt freshman goalkeeper Miranda Horn earn her seventh clean sheet of the year. Horn ended the game with three saves.
With the team unable to capitalize on any of eight corners, Barnes noted that timing of headers in the box will be a focus point in upcoming practices.
“You’ve just got to legitimately wait for probably a second and a half to two seconds and let the ball drop another six inches,” Barnes said. “Those six inches are the difference.”
Even with those areas in need of improvement, the Colonials picked up an additional three conference points to go along with their winning conference record of 2-1-1.
GW rounds out the weekend on Sunday afternoon against Richmond when the team welcomes the Spiders for a Senior Day home game at 3:30 p.m.
