Kanuka Delivers Dagger as Garnet Down Devils in Double Overtime
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Swarthmore freshman Katie Kanuka once again put the cherry on top of another impressive effort by the Garnet women's soccer team, scoring the game-winner in the 104th minute of 1-0 Swarthmore victory over visiting Dickinson in Centennial Conference action Saturday afternoon.
It is the fifth consecutive win for the Garnet and the school's first defeat of the Devils since 2002. In four overtime games this season, Swarthmore remains unbeaten (3-0-1).
Swarthmore is now 12-3-1 overall and 6-3 in Centennial play, breaking the school record for conference wins in a season (previous was five by the 2002 squad). The Garnet possess 18 points in the race for a first-ever Centennial playoff spot and are tied with Muhlenberg for third in the standings (Swarthmore holds the tie-breaker with a 1-0 overtime win on Sept. 26 and plays the final regular season game at home vs. rival Haverford on Oct. 28).
Swarthmore had a great scoring chance in the 11th minute created by Natalie Negrey's deft move around a Devils' defender at the top of the box. Negrey took two steps following the side-step and curled a shot over the head of Dickinson goalkeeper Kailyn Hartmann. The ball caromed off the cross bar and bounced to the far post where Kanuka's rebound attempt sailed high.
The Garnet out-shot the Devils 6-4 in the first half and took three corner kicks to Dickinson's zero.
The 80th minute saw another Swarthmore shot hit off the crossbar, this one coming off a free kick from freshman midfielder Maggie DeLorme.
After 90 minutes of play, the Garnet held a 13-8 shot advantage, yet the Devils got three shots on goal to Swarthmore's two.
The Garnet got a great chance with four minutes left in the first overtime period - O'Neil touched the ball to classmate Taylor Rhodes who sent a cross at eye-level to Kanuka. Kanuka's subsequent header back to the right side of the net was denied on a nice lunging save by Hartmann.
The game-winner started with Rhodes winning a ball at mid-field and pushing it up the field to a streaking Kanuka. The fleet freshman beat one Devils' defender and then shielded the ball with her body to keep another Dickinson back at bay. Once inside the penalty box, Kanuka sent a rocket towards the left side of the net, giving the shot enough force that Hartman was unable to keep it from "bulgin' the onion bag" at 102:33.
It is the 16th goal (ninth game-winner) of the season for Kanuka, tops in the Centennial this season
Garnet sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Walker made four saves for her fifth shut-out of the season while Hartman registered six impressive saves for the Devils (8-7 overall and 5-3 in the Centennial).
Swarthmore resumes Centennial action at home on Saturday, Oct. 28 when historic rival Haverford visits Clothier Field for a 4:00 p.m. game.