Colgate Women Win Fourth Straight

RFH 2010, Colgate Soccer

Sun, Oct 02, 2011

The Colgate women's soccer team defeated Bucknell 3-0 in its first Patriot League game of the season Saturday.

The Raiders, who lead the league in several offensive categories and are now on a four-game winning streak, outshot Bucknell 21-6 with 11 shots in the first period and 10 in the second. Freshman Jenna Raepple, sophomore Klara Jenkins and junior Jillian Kinter scored a goal each in the game.

Colgate (8-4, 1-0 PL) came out to an exciting start, generating some creative and threatening scoring opportunities right off the bat. The team's attacking surge was soon rewarded with a goal just three minutes into play, when sophomore Kelsey Hough back heeled the ball to junior Elise Amioka on the left wing. The forward then dribbled the ball into the box and passed it across the goal line to Raepple, who then blasted it into the back of the net to give her team the 1-0 lead. The early lead only fueled the Raiders' offense even more, resulting in a second goal ten minutes later at the 13:03 mark to improve their lead to 2-0. The goal came off a corner kick by Maddie Malone, which sailed into the line of Jenkins, who then volleyed it past the keeper into the top of the frame.

As the first half continued, Colgate continued to hold majority of the ball possession. Feeling the pressure, Bucknell attempted to find its offensive rhythm, firing a few shots at the Raiders' net. However, it was not enough to derail Colgate, which found a third goal off a pass from freshman Jenna Gibney that made its way to Kinter, who then beat her defender, pulled the ball right past the goalie and then knocked it into the net to give her team a 3-0 lead at half time.

The second 45 minutes of play were similar to the first, with the Raiders holding majority of the scoring opportunities. Determined to find a goal, the Bison began to attack aggressively, coming close to scoring on several occasions, one of which was off a corner kick that was heading into the net but was stopped on the line by Jenkins at the 60:39 mark to keep the score at 3-0. Colgate then struck back, forcing Bucknell to make a defensive save of their own minutes later, and despite creating a few more close opportunities, the Raiders would have to settle with their second 3-0 shut out win of the season.

Junior co-captain Ashley Walsh had three saves for Colgate while Sandita McDermott had seven stops for the Bison.

“What a fantastic way to start the Patriot League portion of our season,” stated head coach Kathy Brawn. “These games are all a huge challenge because there is so much on the line with the league tournament always looming in the distance, especially with the possibility of hosting and all that. I really like the way our players are taking what we are doing in practice and putting it out on the field, and they are also responding well to the scouting reports that we are giving them about the opponents. I am really pleased with the overall effort. We will get ourselves prepared for the next couple of league games next weekend and see what we can do.”

Brawn also commented on the presence of former Colgate women's soccer standout Kaitlyn Lynch '95 at the game. Lynch is one of 13 new athletes being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Honor tonight (Oct. 1).

“I also love the fact that Kaitlyn Lynch and her family were able to be here and see it,” Brawn said. “She is one of the finest players we have ever had in our program, so it was nice to share the weekend with her."

The team will resume league play next weekend with a pair of league matchups on the road.Colgate will first play Army on Friday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. followed by Holy Cross on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 1 p.m.