Garnet Rock Out 2-0 Win over Green Terror
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Garnet women's soccer team score twice in the second half as Swarthmore won its second consecutive Centennial game, 2-0 over visiting McDaniel on a chilly Saturday evening at Clothier Field. Swarthmore pushes its record to 9-3-1 overall and 5-3 in the conference while the Green Terror slip to 5-8 overall and 3-4 in the Centennial.
Swarthmore stands in a three-way tie for second place in the Centennial Conference standings with 2005 champion Dickinson and Gettysburg (12th-ranked Johns Hopkins is first with 21 points). The Garnet will host their two remaining Centennial games (Dickinson on Oct. 21 and Haverford on Oct. 28) at Clothier Field - Swarthmore is 6-1-1 at home this season.
The Garnet controlled much of the action in the first half, out-shooting McDaniel 15-1 and taking four corners.
Swarthmore broke up the scoreless tie in the 62nd minute on the remnants of a free kick from midfielder Julia Luongo '10. Garnet senior midfielder Kasie Groom was taken down just outside the box on the left side of the field. Luongo bent the free kick towards the far post where the ball bounced past diving Green Terror keeper Michelle Mullen and ricocheted of the post. Swarthmore freshman forward Caitlin O'Neil found the ball headed her way and volleyed a rocket into the back of the net for her second goal in as many games.
The Garnet added a second goal 12 minutes later when freshman defender Eileen Earl caught Mullen off her line and drilled the ball into the top shelf from 25 yards out. It is her first collegiate goal.
Swarthmore held a 27-1 shot advantage on the evening, getting 12 chances on net.
Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Walker '09, out with a hand injury the last month, made her return in with a third consecutive shutout (fourth of the season). Walker has allowed only one goal in 470 minutes of action this season, registering a goals against average of 0.19 - tops in the Centennial.
The Garnet will travel to New Jersey on Monday, Oct. 16 for the next match - a 7:00 p.m. game at Rutgers-Newark. Swarthmore returns home on Wednesday, Oct. 18 for another non-conference match - this one being a 5:00 p.m. contest with Chestnut Hill.