The women's soccer team opened its 2005 season with two hard-fought losses this past weekend. The Bears fell 1-0 in double overtime to the University of New Hampshire on Friday and 4-3 to Sacred Heart University on Sunday.
"We're starting out this season 0-2, unlike last year when we were 2-0," said Head Coach Phil Pincince. "But last year we hit a wall, and this time, we are hitting the speed bumps early on and will be more resilient."
At the University of New Hampshire, the turf field allowed for a quick-paced and physical game, and the teams combined to commit 38 fouls. The Bears narrowly outshot the Wildcats in 90 minutes of regulation time, posting an 11-10 advantage in shots on goal.
"It was exciting to the wire," Pincince said.
But, in overtime, the Wildcats went on the offensive, taking six unanswered shots on goalkeeper and tri-captain Hilary Wilson '06. The game remained scoreless until the 106th minute of play when New Hampshire's Sara Hourihan was finally able to put the ball in Brown's net. Wilson recorded six saves for the game.
"I think that our team shows a lot of potential, and we've been working hard in preseason and in the months before the season," Wilson said. "Unfortunately the scores didn't reflect the talent on the team. I'm confident we'll come back and have a strong season and compete well in the Ivy conference."
Playing Sacred Heart in their season home opener at Stevenson Field, the Bears quickly found themselves in a hole. Sacred Heart scored early and often, and at halftime the Pioneers led the Bears 3-0.
"I told them that I believed they were good enough to come back and tie the game," Pincince said. "Three goals in one half is not easy to ask, but during halftime I told them they could do it."
The Bears did not disappoint the nearly 600 fans in attendance, as they began the second half with a vengeance. Two minutes in, tri-captain Meghan Schreck '06 earned a penalty kick when she was taken down inside Sacred Heart's box. Kim LaVere '06 was able to put the ball in the net, scoring Brown's first goal of the season and putting the Bears back in the game.
Running off the momentum from LaVere's goal, the Bears struck again just 45 seconds later when Schreck crossed the ball to Emily Geldwert '09. Geldwert put the ball into the corner of the net for her first collegiate goal and brought the Bears within one.
Sacred Heart put its fourth goal in at 63:21 to make the score 4-2. But the Bears once again came within one score, as Schreck pulled the Pioneer's goalkeeper away from the net and passed the ball to Kathryn Moos '07. Moos tapped the ball in at 72:12, the last goal of the game. Wilson tallied nine saves, as Brown was outshot 18-13.
"Both teams we played had been training together since early August, but we've only been together for two weeks now," Wilson said.
The Bears host Boston University on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and then head to Cape Cod this weekend for the ECAC Tournament. They will not begin Ivy League competition until they play Dartmouth on September 24.
"Once we work out the kinks, we'll play well together as a team, and we'll see the success that we are working so hard for," Wilson said.
