AU women’s soccer holds sole possession of the top spot in the Patriot League with a 2-0 win over conference rival Holy Cross Friday at their Phil Reeves event.
The Eagles jumped all over the Crusaders early. All but three AU starters appeared on the score sheet as the team had 11 shots in the first half alone. Not only did the team click on offense, but they also had a solid defense, allowing only one shot in the first half.
While the Eagles did not get on the board in the first half, it did not take long for the tie to be broken in the second half. Senior Kelsey Brasher put the ball up high in the right corner for her sixth goal of the season in the eighth minute of the second half. Just six minutes later AU scored again. This time it was Brooke Sheppard who took a cross by Carleigh Morba and dumped it into a wide open net. It was Sheppard’s first goal of the season.
AU Head Coach David Bucciero was happy with his team’s perseverance after the game.
“We had a lot of [high quality] play in the first half, a lot of shots that we didn’t quite get the goals,” Bucciero told AU Athletics. “I like how our team stuck with it and didn’t get frustrated and eventually the goals came.”
It is the teams third win in four games. The victory marked the 13th time this year that the team’s defense did not allow more than two goals. With a lack of consistent offense, the defense has been important to keeping the Eagles’ season alive.
Despite the 7-7 overall record, AU has looked strong in Patriot League play. The closest teams to AU in the standings are Army and Lehigh who are currently 1-0-1 in the season. While records are important, it is the points total that determine who is seeded where in the Patriot League Tournament.
In women’s soccer a win counts for three points, a tie is one point and a loss is no points. The Eagles do not have to win out to have a shot at hosting the tournament and a No. 1 seed, but must beat the teams at the top of the standings to have a shot.
AU’s next game will be against Colgate University on Saturday. The Raiders are 0-1-1 on the season in conference play and 4-6-3 overall.
You can reach this staff writer at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.
