With its creative senior forward suffering a season-ending knee surgery, the AU women's soccer team has been pushed into the post-Marcela Ricupero era a little early.
If anything, the loss of its on-field soul has aroused what had been a slumbering team for much of the early season.
While the Eagles didn't get max points this weekend, their awakening still continued with an unlucky 1-1 draw against Army Sunday after a convincing 2-0 win over Holy Cross Friday, both at Reeves Field.
Three games into Patriot League play, AU (5-7-1) sits tied with the Black Knights (8-4-1) on seven points (2-0-1) for second place. Lehigh (3-0 PL) is two points ahead, while Colgate (2-1 PL) is one point behind.
"I'm really pleased with the fact that we faced a very physical, athletic, deep team," said AU head coach Michael Brady of Sunday's match, "and we've had some pretty devastating injuries and our kids never stepped down from the physical battle."
While that battle roared through 90 minutes of regulation and two intense 10-minute overtimes, the scoring blows came early.
AU struck first when freshman midfielder Katelynn Donovan scored her second collegiate goal in just the fourth minute. Fellow freshman Lauren Esposito found Donovan, collecting the rebound of her own blocked shot and slotting a pass across the goalmouth.
Army leveled in the 32nd minute, when Delaney Brown pounced on a through ball from Pia White and finished past AU junior goalkeeper Allison Doyle from close range.
Both teams had chances to grab a second goal. AU struck 26 shots toward Army's net, while the Black Knights responded with 21 of their own. But any tie breaking between the two teams will have to wait - perhaps until the post season.
"The second half I definitely thought we were the better team," Brady said. "(We) played some good stuff and possibly deserved a little more out of that second half than we ultimately got."
Friday, the Eagles deserved everything and more out of their 2-0 win over Holy Cross on a field drenched by heavy rain and a day stifled by blustery winds.
"It was a huge win for us right now," said sophomore defender Annette Scott, who scored the game-winner. "Especially for our mentality...We knew it would be hard to get motivated because (Holy Cross) is not one of the better (PL) teams."
Scott became the unlikely hero by eluding several Holy Cross challenges and carrying down the left before slipping the ball past Crusader goalie Jessica Pietrowicz in the 26th minute.
"I was actually going to the defensive line," Scott said of the goal. "Somebody got a touch on it, and I saw an opening, and just took it."
AU continued dominating possession and creating offensive chances. In the 52nd minute, Donovan was thwarted by Pietrowicz before junior forward Jana Lee's rebound effort was deflected off the goal line by a Crusader defender. In the 58th, Esposito's shot from twelve yards out to the left was parried by Pietrowicz for a corner. And a minute later, Pietrowicz blocked freshman forward Lindsey Miller's chest-high blast before tangling with her, sending the Eagle tumbling.
Miller got her revenge eight minutes later by finally doubling AU's advantage. After Jana Lee's initial blast was saved, freshman midfielder Tatiana Bertolo's rebound effort was blocked by a defender. But Miller reached the second rebound and tapped in for the second goal.
Ricupero, on the sideline, roared as loud as the rest of her teammates at a goal that resembled one of her many over a now-shortened college career. While the Eagles may still be searching for their new on-field leader, Ricupero is never out of the picture.
"The response has been amazing," Brady said, "Mostly from her. She refuses to become a negative person and feel sorry for herself. She's working harder than ever to be a leader inside the team."
Contributing Writer Katie Munro contributed to this report.
