Williamstown, MA –– On a sludgy senior day clash, the Ephs triumphed, toppling the Trinity Bantams 3-1. Despite the rainy conditions and an early 1-0 deficit, they rallied for an emphatic win, scoring three consecutive goals to maintain their strong standing in the NESCAC (6-1-2).
The Ephs started the game well, looking particularly dangerous through offensive play from the wingers. In only the 3rd minute of play, Brianna Wright fizzed a cross from the right-hand side into Meredith Tutum whose strike was saved by Trinity's Mariana Cournoyer.
Eleven minutes later, Jaquelin Nordhoff chipped the Bantam defense to find Wright in stride, who forced another great save from Cournoyer after shooting from near the goal line.
Toward the end of the first half, the Ephs looked like they were about to score after Claire Tolliver's effort was saved point-blank, again by Cournoyer, for her 6th save of the half. As the referees signaled the end of the half, the Ephs were unlucky not to have scored yet but had created the majority of the game's chances.
In the early minutes of the second half, it was more of the same for the Ephs. In the 60th minute, Blakeley Buckingham rose highest to a cross following a corner kick, only to have her header blocked, before her rebound shot was blocked again. Third time's the charm, right? Unluckily, not for the Ephs, as Parker Harnett tried again to force the ball into the net, only for her effort to be forced out for the third time in a matter of seconds.
That play was a common theme thus far; no matter how hard the Ephs pressed for a goal, the Bantam defense resisted.
In the 73rd minute, the Bantams were first to break the deadlock. Lexi Hasbrouck played a ball down the line, which wiggled through the Williams defense before Elena Lindonen played it through to Emma Almoney, who finished confidently into the open net. Credit to Bantams, though the Ephs would feel unlucky to concede first, especially after their strong first-half performance.
But if there's one thing to know about the #13-ranked Ephs, it's that they can handle pressure. Sure enough, just a minute later, they equalized. It began with a phenomenal interception by Ava Simunovic, who carried the ball down the flank before squaring it into Tutum, who poked it across the box to Bria Abbiati. With her back to goal, Abbiati outmuscled her defender, turned on a dime, and coolly curled her effort past the Bantam keeper. Merely 59 seconds after conceding, the Ephs were firmly back in the game.
Energized after their equalizer, the Ephs were physical in the press and eager to take the lead.
After cornering the Bantams and forcing a throw-in, Piper Dupies collected a back pass from Buckingham before crossing with pace and precision toward the back post, where Brianna Wright came crashing in, emphatically heading home to give the Ephs a 2-1 lead. Naturally, the Ephs' fan section erupted, and Wright was soon swarmed in celebration by her teammates.
In the midst of a game played in unrelenting rain, the supporters experienced the truth of the adage that "when it rains, it pours," as only 5 minutes later, the Ephs doubled their lead.
This time, the goal began far in the Ephs' half after Nordhoff played a deep ball over the Bantam's backline to Kelly Beal, who, all alone, crossed to Harnett, who slotted it home for the Ephs' third goal of the game.
Any first-half doubt of which team would emerge victorious was quickly dispelled by the Ephs' three unanswered goals. Both the fans and players will be delighted by such a dominant performance on their senior day.
After the match, head coach Sarah Raymond lauded her team's cohesion and resilience: "I couldn't be prouder of our team and the way they handled themselves today in the conditions that could have played into Trinity's hands. To stay composed and come back after the defensive mishap that led to their goal is the sign of a true fighting spirit. The three goals we scored were amazing and needed to be that way to beat their exceptional goalkeeper. I thought it was an incredible team win where every player contributed to that win, from the sideline, and on the field."
Motivated by a phenomenal collective performance, the Ephs will be looking forward to their last NESCAC game of the season at home, on Tuesday against Middlebury.
