A year ago, the injury-riddled women’s soccer team was winding down their season in last place in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Now, the Huskies are on the cusp of securing the sixth and final CAA playoff spot after splitting a pair of road games this weekend.
The Huskies traveled to James Madison (12-4-2, 8-2 CAA) Friday. Northeastern hung tough with the Dukes but came up short in a 2-1 loss. Junior forward Liza Rebello scored her sixth goal of the year, but a pair of goals by JMU forward Corky Julien proved to be the Huskies’ undoing.
Freshman keeper Stephanie Gordon made seven saves for the Huskies.
“It was a very good game,” head coach Ed Matz said. “We had a plan to get a lot of people playing time. Everybody played really well. [Freshman forward] Lauren Holmstedt and [senior defender] Emilee Ellison had some great chances in the final minutes to score a goal.”
Despite the loss, Matz said he felt the game proved the Huskies can play with anyone in the CAA and could be dangerous if they make the tournament.
“We lost to James Madison 2-1 and William ‘ Mary by one [Oct. 10],” Matz said of the top two teams in the conference. “We can play with anybody in the conference. [We’re] the kind of team that if we get into the CAA playoffs, we can pose a threat.”
Needing a win to keep their tournament hopes alive, the Huskies rode the strong performance of four freshmen en route to downing Virginia Commonwealth (8-9-1, 4-5-1 CAA) 3-0 on Sunday. Midfielder Gabbi Jatkola, forward Veronica Napoli and defender Kelly Matthews scored a goal apiece for the Huskies (9-8-1, 5-5 CAA), while Gordon stopped five Ram shots for her fifth shutout of the season.
Not only did the win vault the Huskies over the Rams into the sixth seed in the conference, but it was their first CAA road win since a 1-0 victory at Georgia State Oct. 23, 2005.
“It was a very good game all around,” Matz said. “You have to play mistake-free to win on the road in the CAA.”
Jatkola’s goal was her second of the year and came on a direct kick from twenty yards out, beating VCU keeper Lauren Hardison in the 25th minute.
The Huskies took a 1-0 advantage into the half. Napoli dribbled the ball past the Ram’s defense and fired a shot from 10 yards out. The goal was her team-leading 11th of the year, good for fourth in the CAA.
“Veronica scored a nice goal for us that killed VCU’s momentum. It was 1-0 at that point and VCU was putting a lot of pressure on us. She was 1-on-1 with a defender and made a nice move to beat the defender,” Matz said.
The Huskies can make the playoffs with an outright win 1 p.m. Sunday at Hofstra, or a VCU loss. A Husky tie would also ensure them a spot.
“Last year at this time, we were in last place,” Matz said. “It’s a good feeling. I told the girls today I’m very proud of what they accomplished. It’s good to go into the last game of the year and have it be a meaningful game.”
NU travels to Hofstra (10-6-2, 7-2-1) Sunday at 1 p.m.
