Baer’s career-high-tying 15 saves buttress defensive stand at Taylor
Leafs hold Trojans to 2 goals for 84+ minutes, but can’t find net on other end
UPLAND, Ind. — The Goshen College women’s soccer team continued its search for its first Crossroads League win of the year on Wednesday in a 3-0 defeat to 18th-ranked Taylor University at Turner Stadium.
The Trojans opened the scoring on the game’s first shot, getting a 20-yard strike from Hannah Davis for a 1-0 lead after just three minutes, but would finish the game with their second-fewest goals in a home game this season.
After the goal, possession leveled off for much of the first half as the Maple Leafs (4-4-2, 0-3) held the Trojans (9-1-2, 2-0) to three shots over the next 25 minutes. Kaitlyn Begley missed wide with a chance for an equalizer off a Lauren Cernak corner kick in the ninth minute while Carolina Villalobos Palacios also took an attempt in the 24th minute. GC goalkeeper Katie Baerfinished the first half with seven saves.
Taylor doubled its advantage when Erin Teevans took the ball away from the Maple Leaf defense with 10:41 remaining, and the Trojans took that 2-0 lead into the break.
The teams would again play scoreless soccer for much of the second half, thanks in part to some key Baer saves and a shot blocked by Villalobos Palacios. GC also pushed fresh legs onto the pitch with eight second-half substitutions.
Minutes after another Cernak corner, the Trojans got their third goal on a deflection, as Teevans’ shot on an Emily Calvani assist struck a defender and slithered into the net with 5:46 remaining. The shot was Taylor’s last attempt on target for the game, meaning the Maple Leafs were one shot away from becoming the first team to hold TU to two goals at home since third-ranked Northwestern Ohio in the season opener.
Baer finished with a career-high 15 saves, appropriately matching her output from the same field last season. Lauren Engelkes led Taylor with 1 save as the Trojans rotated through 18 field players and two keepers. Calvani and Teevans took 5 shots each for the hosts.
Quoting GC head coach Justin Crew:
“It was a good match tonight as we gave the number-18 team in the NAIA a game. The possession in the first half was almost even as we possessed the ball much better, were able to attack tonight and had more opportunities to score. Taylor needed a non-keeper save to keep the score 1-0 in the first half.
“We just have to keep getting better at the details. There were some little things that hurt us. Taylor’s second goal came off a really bad unforced error – if we don’t make that mistake, it stays 1-0 at halftime and well into the second half.”
Notable Numbers:
3: Goshen’s defensive performance tied for the second-best of the season among road teams at Taylor. The Trojans are unbeaten on their home field this season and have scored five times or more in a third of those games.
1963, 2011: The Maple Leaf women will be the athletic centerpiece of Homecoming Weekend this weekend on the GC campus when they host Marian University at 2 p.m. Saturday. At noon, Byron Shenk ’63 and Penina Acayo Laker ’11 will receive the Maple Leafs Athletic Club’s Champion of Character awards in the Recreation-Fitness Center turf room. At 1 p.m., a sign thanking donors that contributed to the John Ingold Athletic Complex renovation project will be unveiled at the complex’s entrance. The GC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is also sponsoring a tailgate and cornhole tournament on the practice soccer field.
Up Next: Saturday, Oct. 6 — #17 Marian at Goshen, 2 p.m.