Following a hard-fought draw against the Elon University Phoenix Oct. 8, the Northeastern University women’s soccer team returned home Thursday to kick off the final homestand of the season against first-year striker Kristen Desmond and the top-tier Hofstra University soccer team.
Heading into Thursday’s match, Hofstra had been on a tear, winning their last seven games behind Desmond’s other-worldly play: The striker notched five goals in the team’s last five matches. Northeastern’s head coach Ashley Phillips made it a top priority to limit her opportunities.
“We can’t let any balls in the air get over our back line again,” Phillips said prior to Thursday’s match. “That’s where [Desmond] thrives.”
Despite the extra focus, Desmond and the Pride dominated much of the first half in terms of possession. Both teams, however, were limited to four or fewer shots on goal for the half. The Huskies finished the half strong, with two near-goals coming off three consecutive corner kicks in the final 10 minutes.
Both teams came out of the half looking for a score to break the tie, and Hofstra was able to find one in the 71st minute. Midfielder Lucy Porter was able to flick in a corner kick past third-year goalkeeper Nathalie Nidetch to give the Pride a late lead.
The Huskies desperately tried to find the equalizer, but the tending tandem of Ashley Wilson and Jenna Borresen proved too strong for the Huskies offense.
Phillips was visibly disappointed with the team’s performance after the match.
“I think it’s a belief thing,” said Phillips. “We’ve taken our foot off the gas. I think we’ll come together soon, but right now we just have to stick to the plan. We’ve got to enjoy it. I think that part’s missing right now. It’s not as fun as it’s supposed to be.”
Phillips must have flipped a switch in the team’s heads after Thursday’s match, as the Huskies showed up to Sunday’s Senior Day match with a completely new approach.
Prior to the match, the program honored its five senior players with a short ceremony in front of the hundreds of friends and family members in attendance. Mollie Rosen, Carly Wilhelm, Kayla Cappuzzo, Taylor Caparo and Hannah Lopiccolo were each celebrated by the team for their contributions over the course of their careers.
The Huskies used the emotions of a bittersweet afternoon as fuel for a high-powered offensive performance. After a 23rd minute goal squeaked its way past Nidetch on a controversial call, third-year defender Eve Goulet headed the equalizer into the top right corner of the net off a corner kick from first-year defender Mikenna McManus in the 25th minute.
In the 36th minute, Cappuzzo sent a cross into the box to third-year forward Nicole Gorman, who blasted the ball into the back of the net. With that pass, Cappuzzo etched her name into the record books, becoming the program’s all-time leader in assists.
Cappuzzo humbly cited friends, family and teammates as enablers for this historic feat.
“It’s so amazing to have my family out here to support me,” Cappuzzo said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s also my teammates, because they’ve been able to find the back of the net. Without them, there is no assist.”
Coach Phillips had nothing but praise for her star forward and the rest of the senior class after the game.
“Kayla [Cappuzzo] and the rest of the girls, they’re always the ones who work the hardest,” Phillips stated. “They’re the most competitive in training and they’re always willing to do anything for the rest of the group. That’s their mentality as people. They’re humble, pleasant, appreciative kids, and it really shows on the field.”
The big day continued for Cappuzzo in the second half, as she assisted Lopiccolo on her 20th career goal in the 60th minute. First-year forward Chelsea Domond added some insurance with an impressive unassisted strike into the net from outside the goalie box in the 66th minute.
With a commanding lead late in the half, Phillips pulled Nidetch and sent in fourth-year keeper Mollie Rosen for her first action of the season. Despite letting up a late free-kick goal, Rosen made two impressive saves, and the Huskies held on for the 4-2 victory.
The win was a complete 180 for a squad that looked unenthused and confused just a few nights before. Coach Phillips noted that the difference was evident from kickoff.
“We talked about how we need to enjoy this,” Phillips said. “Things are going to be difficult, and [we’re] just gonna have to work through that. Beating ourselves down isn’t going to get us anywhere, so we took the opportunity Hofstra gave us to reset and we kept fighting. The girls were more relaxed, and coming back from down shows a lot about this group.”
Cappuzzo also mentioned Phillips’ efforts to change the team’s attitude heading into Sunday’s match.
“Coach really emphasized taking it game by game after Thursday’s match,” she said. “Although we had a poor performance Thursday night, we just had to leave that behind us and that’s exactly what we did to come out here and get the result.”
The Huskies take on Towson University at home on Thursday for their final regular season home game of the season.
