In their first-ever match against the New Jersey Institute of Technology, women’s soccer fell 0-2 Wednesday in Newark, N.J., thanks to their inability to break through the strong Highlanders defense.
The Revolutionaries (3-8-3, 0-5-1 A-10) had trouble offensively, taking eight shots against the Highlanders (5-3-5) through the course of the game, only one of which was on goal. The Revolutionaries have now lost five straight games, having fallen 1-4 to Dayton (9-1-5) last Sunday.
The Highlanders managed to maintain offensive momentum throughout the match, managing 27 shots, though they had a difficult time hitting the mark with only seven of their shots being on goal.
“If they’re coming down our throats and we’re giving up shots inside the 18, which we weren’t, that’s when you probably look to kind of change things, but with the long-range shots, those are going to be high statistics for any team but less threatening for a goalkeeper to have to manage,” Head Coach Michelle Demko said.
The Highlanders struck early when in the third minute graduate student defender Emma Lillback fouled Highlander defender Riley Jones near center field, giving away a free kick. Jones took the free kick, whipping the ball into the box, which was headed in for a goal by Highlander forward Kelsey Ramos, notching her second goal of the season.
“I think our team does a really good job of, even when we let up goals in the first five minutes, of fighting back, and I think that’s a team mentality thing, which is something that we have been growing ever since I got here,” junior goalkeeper Ainsley Lumpe said.
The Revolutionaries managed to take three shots in the first half, all of which were taken by junior forward Kelly Poole. Those shots brought Poole’s total shots this season to 30. The Highlanders eclipsed the Revs with 16 shots in the first half, four of which were taken by sophomore forward Maria Nogeira, who ended the match with six shots, two of which were on target.
While the match was primarily controlled by the Highlanders, the Revolutionaries gained a burst of offensive energy toward the end of the second half, nearly managing to break the deadlock with four shots and five corners all taken within the final 15 minutes.
However, the Highlanders were able to capitalize on the Revs’ offensive pressure with a counterattack. Graduate midfielder Bailey Chant brought the ball forward to sophomore forward Briana Andreoli, who managed to dribble past the Revolutionaries’ defense and score to seal the game for the Highlanders.
Junior defender Alicia Window took no shots Wednesday but has taken a total of six shots this season. Window has played the entirety of every game apart from two this season and said despite the early goal by the Highlanders, the Revolutionaries still played well.
“We felt we prepared enough,” Window said. “And then, you know, a goal in the first five minutes is something hard to come back from. But I was actually proud of the performance after that, compared to previous games.”
This was the last out-of-conference game for both the Revs and the Highlanders, who have been unbeaten at home until Sunday.
The Revolutionaries will look to break their losing streak when they face the Duquesne Dukes (5-5-4) Oct. 12 and return to the DMV to face the George Mason Patriots (1-14) Oct. 15.
