SWARTHMORE, Pa. – In a close contest made more dramatic by intermittent fog hovering over the playing field, the No. 17 Swarthmore College women's soccer team came up just short in its Centennial Conference semifinal match versus Dickinson College, falling by a 1-0 score at Clothier Field Stadium. The defeat snapped the Garnet's 13-game unbeaten streak.
The teams split possession 50-50 in the contest though the Garnet had more chances at the goal, outshooting the Red Devils by a 20-9 count. Each side earned five corner kicks apiece in the back-and-forth matchup. However, Dickinson came out with the victory after scoring the lone goal on a penalty kick in the 81
st minute. The Red Devils move on to the conference final at Johns Hopkins University.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Swarthmore came out firing to start the game with
Charlotte Carleton registering the first shot just 38 seconds in. The Garnet posted eight shots within the opening 21 minutes before Dickinson had its first attempt. Carleton and
Ava Gizzie each totaled three shots during the stretch but Swarthmore was unable to convert.
- After making two saves earlier in the half,
Sofie Aird made her most impressive stop in the 36
th minute. The Red Devils booted a shot from outside the box that rainbowed from right to left. Aird made a leaping save to keep the ball from finding the top left corner. The Garnet produced three shots in the closing four minutes of the period but the teams remained scoreless at halftime.
- Swarthmore had a 5-3 edge in shots through the first 35 minutes of the second half but the sides were still level. However, a trip in the box gave Dickinson a penalty kick with 9:12 remaining and the Red Devils put the offering inside the right post to take a 1-0 lead.
- The Garnet pressured down the stretch with two shots and two corners but could not find the equalizer.
GARNET LEADERS
Shots: Gizzie 7
Saves: Aird 3
UP NEXT
Swarthmore (12-2-3) awaits the NCAA Tournament selection show on Monday.
