The Lady Dons entered Saturday with an undefeated record and zero goals scored against them in their first three matches. The long drive, with a bit of traffic, all the way to Windsor didn’t detract from the team’s determination and confidence. However, from the start it was obvious that Windsor would be their toughest test thus far in a season that is still young.
The defensive line of Tatum Keely, Ella Culbertson, Avery DeMent, and Tori Hiatt were tested early and often. Goalie Brooke Lewis, on loan from JV, covered the goal extremely well with a number of very nice saves throughout the game.
It was a tough battle in the middle of the field, but Michela Barbano, Samantha Murdin, Caroline Tumilty, Lily Polkinhorn, and Grace Eppinger matched the aggressive and fast Windsor players and managed a few nice runs with Stella Beuchotte attacking from the striker position.
Despite a few shots on goal by the Dons, Windsor struck at about the eighth minute with a very nice cross to a player on the far post for a clean goal. Nothing the Dons could have done. Acalanes got some fresh legs on the pitch when Cate McCormick, Grace Colaco, and Danica Green entered the match. Right away, McCormick got a clean shot via a clean pass from Barbano, but the Windsor goalie made a tough diving save.
With a bit of back-and-forth play, the Dons had a few more opportunities to score but just couldn’t find the net. Keely had a well-placed free kick that Beuchotte almost headed in and Hiatt followed with a nice free kick of her own that resulted in a Keely shot that sailed a bit wide. Halftime came with the Dons down 0-1.
Windsor played the second half just like the first – aggressive and fast. The defensive line of Sierra Goyert, Culbertson, DeMent, and Keely were tested early when a Windsor player made a long pass up for their winger who one touched a shot past Lewis who was wisely coming out to cut off the ball. But, Keely streaked in and cleared the ball away from an open goal – a heroic save!
The Dons midfield and forwards managed some more opportunities, but it just didn’t seem to be their night – Windsor defenders always seemed to barely break up challenges and their goalie made some skillful saves. The closest the Dons came to a goal was when Keely took a free kick shot that bounced off the crossbar, came out to Beuchotte for a shot that the goalie saved and then rolled wide. A collective “aww!” could be heard in the Aca bleachers.
Windsor scored two more times – the first on a cross that resulted in a one-touch shot that was then touched a second time by a winger who was next to Lewis just in front of the goal. It appeared that player could have been offsides as Lewis and the Aca defense signaled it so, but the rapid sequence of the play resulted in a no-call and a goal. Windsor would score their final goal on a clean free kick shot that snuck in just under the crossbar. Final score 0-3.
It was a tough loss, but one that showed the Dons had a number of opportunities that just didn’t find net and a lot of strong play from everyone on the pitch. The team will have a bit of time to regroup as there are no scheduled matches until January. Both matches on Tuesday January 6th and Thursday January 8th are at home, so come on out and support your Lady Dons!