By Brian Fields, news staff
On an unusually hot September afternoon Sunday, the Northeastern Huskies women’s soccer team brought their own fire, blazing past the College of Charleston Cougars 3-0 for their first conference-play victory of the season and 11th consecutive home victory, bringing their 2017 record to 7-4-1. The only tie of the season came in the Huskies’ conference opener at Drexel University last Thursday, Sept. 21.
Despite outshooting the Dragons 36-15, the Red and Black was unable to distance themselves due largely in part to Drexel keeper Christiana Ogunsami’s unbelievable 20 saves. Third-year forward Hannah Rosenblatt was the only one able to break through Ogunsami’s brick wall, netting the equalizing goal in the 65th minute off an assist from third-year midfielder/forward Nicole Gorman. Extra time proved to be too short for each team’s offense as the golden goal eluded both squads.
Disappointed with the outcome of Thursday’s match, head coach Ashley Phillips and the Huskies came into Sunday with a heightened sense of determination.
“I think we created a lot of chances against Drexel, and we’re frustrated about not finishing,” Phillips said after Sunday’s match. “It’s definitely something that set the standard for us.”
After the Huskies’ first few shots on goal were stifled by Charleston goalie Genevieve Henderson, first-year Chelsea Domond broke the scoreless tie in the 30th minute, striking the top left corner off assists from Rosenblatt and fourth-year midfielder Hannah Lopiccolo for her first career goal.
“When [Lopiccolo] laid the ball back, I thought to myself, ‘I got to hit it somehow,’” Domond said describing the shot. “When I hit it I honestly didn’t think it would find net, so when it went in I was just so surprised and so excited.”
Sunday’s game saw yet another first career goal in the 61st minute, when second-year middie Lizzie George tapped the ball into the bottom left corner of the net. The play came to fruition off a brilliant move by Rosenblatt to sneak past the Cougars’ back line, who sent a through ball deep into the box for fourth-year forward Kayla Cappuzzo. She chased down the ball and delivered a perfectly placed cross to George.
The assist marked Cappuzzo’s 50th career point, making her only the seventh Husky to accomplish this feat, and the second to do so this season after Lopiccolo pulled off against the University of Texas Longhorns earlier this month. In addition, Cappuzzo brought herself within one assist of tying Liz Dyjak’s team record of 19 career assists.
To cap off an already memorable afternoon, third-year forward Nicole Gorman joined the first-goal party, netting an insurance goal, her first of the season, in the 83rd minute off of first-year forward Katarina Nilsson’s first career assist.
Despite not showing up in the box score Sunday, first-year defender Mikenna McManus had a brilliant game, contesting every ball the Cougars played in her direction and preventing several potential shots on goal from ever reaching third-year goalie Nathalie Nidetch, who had eight saves in the shutout victory.
Coach Phillips had nothing but praise for her squad, appreciating the heightened level of play on the elevated conference-play stage.
“The girls were a lot more composed today,” she said. “We made sure to take advantage of open looks. We were much more relaxed and put away those shots, something we just couldn’t seem to do on Thursday.”
Domond attributed this composure to a greater sense of chemistry among teammates, especially the inclusiveness of the upperclassmen.
“[The upperclassmen] have been so great to us,” she said. “We all love each other, we hang out a lot more often, and it’s definitely affected our on-field performance.”
Despite the decisive victory, Phillips still believes there’s room for improvement heading into Thursday’s match against the University of Delaware.
“There’s always something we can work on,” Phillips said. “We’ve talked a lot about changing the tempo going forward. Even though it’s late in the season, we’re still a young group and we can definitely focus on some minor changes against Delaware.”
Cappuzzo looks to tie Dyjak’s assist record at home against the Blue Hens as the Huskies aim for a 12th consecutive home win to extend the longest home win streak in program history.
