Cline Strikes, Garnet Win Opener at Swat Kick Classic
SWARTHMORE/CATHOLIC BOX
VILLA JULIE/NEUMANN BOX
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Garnet freshman forward Kelsey Cline (Camano Island, Wash. / Stanwood) scored her first career goal as the Swarthmore women's soccer team won its 12th consecutive season opener, downing Catholic 1-0 in the first day of competition at the 12th annual Swat Kick Classic. Villa Julie captured the second game, defeating Neumann 2-1.
The young Garnet team, starting five first-years, were the aggressors from the on-set almost putting in goal on the opening kick-off. Cline, a first-half substitution, remained in the game at the start of the second stanza. The freshman forward accepted a through-ball from classmate Megan Colombo (Arcadia, Calif. / Arcadia) at the top of the Cardinals' box. Cline beat the charging Catholic goalkeeper Tere Rossi (Annandale, Va. / Falls Church) to the ball and chipped it into the right panel for her first career goal at 48:05.
The Garnet (1-0) out-shot the Cardinals13-5, limiting the visitors to one shot on goal. Swarthmore goalie Lauren Walker '09 (Fallston, Mary. / The Hotchkiss School) made one stop for her 10th career shut-out, while her counterpart Rossi tallied three saves for Catholic (1-0). Walker consistently stepped out of the goal box to clear a number of shots coming her way.
The Mustangs of Villa Julie (1-0) got a goal and an assist from senior midfielder Tonia Cristino (Lancaster, Pa. / Hempfield) while classmate Rose Phelan (Loch Raven, Mary. / Loch Raven) added a score of her own. Late in the first half, Cristino crossed a long ball to Phelan trapped the ball and knocked the ball into the net. Cristino's goal at 49:35 was a crisp chip over the Neumann defense.
Knights forward Casey Geary (Ocean City, N.J. / Ocean City) had seven of the eleven shots on goal for Neumann (0-1). With a left-footed blast that sailed into the back of the net, Geary posted her first goal of the season at 83:32.
Villa Julie netminder Casey Brown (Poolesville, MD / Poolesville) recorded six stops while Neumann junior goaltender Elizabeth Raiburn (Wallingford, Pa. / Strath Haven) made 11 saves.
Swarthmore will face Neumann on Sunday, Sept.2 at 12:00 p.m.-Catholic faces Villa Julie in the first contest, set for 10:00 a.m.