SWARTHMORE, Pa. – The Swarthmore College women's soccer team continued its strong start to the season on Saturday, earning its fourth consecutive shutout with a 3-0 victory versus visiting Sarah Lawrence College.
The Garnet scored once in the first half and twice in the second period.
Celia Kanellakos put Swarthmore ahead with a penalty kick goal before
Lauren Roche and
Stella Saad both netted their first goal with the Garnet in the second half.
Swarthmore dominated play, holding 60 percent of the overall possession with nearly half of the Garnet's time coming in the attacking end. Swarthmore outshot the Gryphons, 22-2, and had an 8-1 advantage in corner kicks on the afternoon.
Dahlia Bedward and
Lila Travers split the clean sheet, playing one half apiece.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Garnet began pressuring Sarah Lawrence almost immediately after kickoff, tallying five shots within the opening 10 minutes. However, Swarthmore struggled to put the early attempts on frame, generating just one shot on goal over its first six tries.
- In the 20
th minute, the Garnet received a golden opportunity as
Nicole Jensen was tripped up in the box to draw a penalty. Kanellakos went to the spot and blasted the ball into the net to give Swarthmore a 1-0 lead. The Garnet had four more shots the rest of the stanza but the margin remained one at halftime.
- Swarthmore doubled its lead early in the second half, scoring in the 54
th minute.
Liesel Blau took a corner kick for the home team and Roche got her head on it, putting the ball into the right side of the cage for a 2-0 edge.
Ava Gizzie nearly made it 3-0 just moments later when their shot clanged off the left post. A follow-up attempt was stopped by the goalkeeper.
- The Gryphons recorded their only shots of the game off a corner kick in the 63
rd minute.
Eloise Franz preserved the shutout for the Garnet when she got in the way of a scoring attempt while standing just in front of the goal line. A second shot by Sarah Lawrence sailed over the net.
- The final marker came in the 76
th minute off a Swarthmore throw-in from midfield. Saad received the throw then dribbled nearly a full half-length of the field with a defender on her hip. The first-year impressively shook off the opposing challenger and chipped the ball over the goalkeeper for her first collegiate goal.
GARNET LEADERS
Goals: Kanellakos, Roche, Saad 1
Assists: Blau 1
Shots: Gizzie 5
Shots on Goal: Kanellakos 2
UP NEXT
The Garnet (3-0-1) have their first road test of the season on Wednesday when they head to Rowan University.
