WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Kenyon College women's soccer team snapped out of its two-game scoreless skid with a goal in the first half of Wednesday evening's non-conference contest at Washington and Jefferson College. That's all the Ladies needed to secure victory and record a shutout against the host Presidents.
The 1-0 win evened Kenyon's record at 2-2-1, while the loss dropped Washington and Jefferson to 0-3-1.
The first half of play didn't see many scoring chances. In fact, Kenyon took just three shots, while the host Presidents managed only two. In the game's 40th minute, however, the Ladies broke through. Sophomore defender
Caroline McNeer dribbled up the right sideline and sent into the box a long pass, which was met by junior
Fallon Raviol. After once bounce, Raviol got under the ball, headed it over the goalkeeper and into the Presidents' net. It was Raviol's second goal of the season and the fourth of her Kenyon career.
Early in the second half, Washington and Jefferson made its most serious rush at the Kenyon defense. A loose ball in the Ladies' box resulted in a Katie Hahn shot that ricocheted of the Ladies' crossbar. The Presidents kept the ball in the zone for the next few moments and earned back-to-back corner kicks, but were unable to capitalize.
Washington and Jefferson managed to keep the second-half shot totals even with Kenyon at 7-7, but only two of those Presidents' shots were on goal.
Kenyon, which ended up with a slight 10-9 advantage in shots for the game, had one final opportunity to seal the deal on a free kick from McNeer with about five minutes left on the clock. Her shot, however, was knocked away by Washington and Jefferson goalkeeper Beth Boyles, who ended up with two saves on the night.
At the other end of the field, Kenyon goalkeeper
Jillian Countey had to make just three saves to record her second shutout of the season and the 14th of her collegiate career.
Countey and the Ladies, who are in the middle of a five-game road trip, will now start preparations for Sunday's game at Franklin College.
