Women's Soccer Improves to 3-1, Brims With Promise of Great Season
Toward the end of the first half, Defender Jordan Bryant PO '13 nearly scored off a free kick; however, Biola’s keeper tipped the ball over the net. Lopez scored her second goal in the final minute of the first half with a header off of a corner kick from junior defender Claire Mueller PO '13.
In the second half, the Sagehens were able to hold off Biola’s attack. Tao almost took the lead to 3-0, but her low shot bounced off the post. Overall, P-P out shot Biola 16-7 with keeper Emma Wolfarth PO '14 only needing to make two saves.
"Last year, against a team of Biola's level, we wouldn't have won,” said Head Coach Jen Scanlon. “It's exciting for us to be able to score against a team that strong a couple of times, and then play well enough defensively to get the shutout on top of that. This gives us a great lift going into the SCIAC."
The confidence from Biola’s win carried over into P-P’s first SCIAC game Wednesday against Redlands. PPWS won 2-0 against nationally ranked University of Redlands. Transfer student Erin Edmonds PO '14 scored with 14 minutes left in the first half off of Rachel Eckerlin PZ '12’s cross. Under pressure, Eckerlin placed the ball into the box, where Edmonds ran on to finish it for her second goal of the season.
With seven minutes left in play, Lopez earned her third goal in two consecutive matches with a break away. Lilli Barrett-O’Keefe PZ ’14 put a Redlands defender under pressure forcing her to pass the ball backwards. Lopez stole the pass and kicked the ball through Redlands’s keeper Linzey Smith’s legs for a point.
Redlands’ best opportunity against P-P came in the second half with Devin Wright’s corner kick. Sagehen goalie Emma Wolfarth PO ’14 hit the ball away, keeping her shut out record for games at home this season. The only goal scored against Wolfarth was this season was a penalty kick by Vanguard University.
The Sagehens strong finish against Biola and Redlands signals a new era for the team.
“This is a statement to send to SCIAC,” said Coach Scanlon. “We just beat a really good team.” However, Scanlon reminds her team that Redlands “is just one game of 12” this season.
PPWS is starting league play with fewer injuries and more depth in the roster than past seasons. While PPWS’s senior class is small, Traci Lopez is proving to be a leader on the scoreboard and super senior Rachel “Old Maid” Eckerlin is returning for a second year as Captain. Defender Martha Marich PO ’12 (PPWS Fan Club Co-President) and myself are sidelined this season with knee injuries. The junior class boasts seasoned defenders Anika Burrell PO, Bryant, and Mueller with Claudia Zaugg PO in the midfield. The 11 members of the sophomore class, who outnumbered returning players their first season, are now more experienced. Seven first-years will contribute to Pomona-Pitzer Women’s Soccer reaching its goal.
“We want to make the tournament this year,” said Emma Wolfarth. If the Sagehens continue to play as they have this week, they can make their goal a reality.
Pomona-Pitzer will continue SCIAC play at La Verne 7 p.m. Saturday night.
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