Ephs draw Wesleyan 2-2

MIDDLETOWN, CT -- The women's soccer team traveled to Middletown today to begin play against the Wesleyan Cardinals.  The teams opened play against each other for the second year in a row, but today's game differed greatly from Williams' dominating 5-0 victory last year.  Both teams came ready to play, and the hard work and grit led to a 2-2 tie. 

The draw marks the first time since 1985 that the Ephs did not defeat the Cardinals in women's soccer.  Since a 4-4 draw in 1985, Williams had won all 24 meetings between the two schools until today. Including today's result, Williams women's soccer is 27-4-2 against Wesleyan.

Although Coach Michelyne Pinard acknowledged today's result as disappointing, she was also happy with how her team "battled hard" to a tie after going down early. In the first minute, Wesleyan went up 1-0 after Laura Kurash scored off of a penalty kick. Williams came back to tie the game at 1-1 in the 17^th minute with a goal by senior Annelise Snyder, assisted by junior Nicole Stenquist.  Although Williams dominated the offensive end in the first half with seven shots to Wesleyan's two, the game was still tied at the half.

The Ephs came out fighting in the second half and were the first to put a point on the board when Sara Wild assisted on Brett Eisenhart's goal in the 58^th minute.   It looked as if Williams might pull out the come-from-behind victory until the 83^rd minute when Wesleyan's Kerry Doyle found the back of the net after an assist from Kaitlin Ashley. After the rest of the second half and two overtime periods, the game ended in a tie.

Throughout the game, Williams kept the pressure on Wesleyan's keeper, Claire Colton, with 22 shots, including 12 on goal.  At the other end of the field, Wesleyan recorded only 8 shots, including 6 on goal. Williams goalie Julia Schreiber recorded 4 saves on the day. Coach Pinard felt that Wesleyan had "dangerous weapons up top." As for the Ephs, she said that although "no one had her best game, there were solid performances through the middle."

The tie against Wesleyan might be just what the Ephs need to ignite the fire at the beginning of the season. As Coach Pinard said, "It was a typical first game.  The kids were tight and nervous, and it showed a bit. It's good to have a first game under our belt."