Freshmen Shine In Maryland
CHESTERTOWN, Md - Swarthmore freshmen Emily Coleman and Maddie Williams came off the bench to scoretheir first collegiate goals, leading the Garnet to a 3-0 victory over Washington Wednesday night in Centennial women's soccer action.
Swarthmore (6-2-1, 2-1 CC) picked up its fourth shutout of the season at the culmination of a four-game road trip (3-1). Washington fell to 1-8 overall and 0-3 in the Conference.
Playing on the fast track in majestic Rory Kirby, Jr. Stadium, the Garnet offense was working all parts of the field. Swarthmore’s midfielders spread the Shorewomen defense, creating the first Garnet score. Junior midfielder Maggie DeLorme (Lusby, Md. / Patuxent) worked the right edge of the penalty box, spinning on her heel to unleash a left-footed shot bend into the back corner at 10:15. DeLorme’s third career score is also her second career-game winner in her home state (DeLorme headed home the game-winner in the 2006 Centennial semifinal win over Gettysburg, in Baltimore).
Swarthmore held a 6-0 shot advantage in the first half. Head coach Todd Anckaitis looked to put more pressure on the Washington backline, inserting the fleet Coleman at the start of the second half.
The match opened up with both sides turning up more shots, but it was a pass that gave the Garnet a two-goal cushion. A Swarthmore free kick from midfield bounced free in the top of the Washington penalty box in the 62nd minute. Garnet sophomore Laura Bolger (Centerport, N.Y. / Harborfields) found the ball at her feet and Shorewoman goalkeeper Tori Ripple off her line. Bolger pushed a worm-burner at the right post and Coleman (New Haven, Ct. / Choate Rosemary Hall) darted onto the ball, punching home her first collegiate goal at 61:05.
Swarthmore continued to test Ripple, a first-year who proved a formidable foe in front of the net, making eight saves on 11 Garnet second-half shots.
The Garnet would produce a long-distance highlight on the third goal. Swarthmore drew a foul six feet from the corner flag and junior midfielder Taylor Rhodes (Redlands, Calif. / Redlands) smartly opted away not to serve into the box, and instead, dumped it back to Williams (Kennett Square, Pa. / Kennett), trailing the transition from her left back position. Williams turned with two touches and from 25 yards out, blistered the ball into the back upper corner.
Garnet senior goalkeeper Lauren Walker (Fallston, Md. / The Hotchkiss School [CT]) needed used one save to earn her second shutout of the season.
Swarthmore returns to Clothier Field, hoping the weekend rain washed away the bad memories of its last match there (a double-overtime loss to Eastern). The third Maryland team in the Conference, the McDaniel Green Terror, comes to campus for a 7:00 p.m. contest. After eleven straight wins by McDaniel in the series, Swarthmore has posted shutouts each of the last two seasons.
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