NEW LONDON, Conn. —
Amidst extremely wet and windy weather Friday, the United States Coast Guard Academy women's soccer team earned points on the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) table on Friday with a 1-1 draw against Babson College. Junior midfielder
Ella Pottle (Epping, N.H.) netted the Bears' lone goal.
Coast Guard moves to 2-2-4 on the season and 0-0-2 in-conference, while Babson moves to 3-4-1 overall and 1-0-1 against NEWMAC foes. The Beavers will look to extend their three-game unbeaten streak on Wednesday, the 30th, when they host non-conference side Framingham State (4-2-1).
Senior back
Lulu Vlases (Bozeman, Mont.) had the first big try of the night on a free kick in the 3rd minute. Standing just past midfield with a gusting wind to her back, Vlases dialed one up from midfield that had the range, but it was corralled by the keeper.
Pottle got her side on the board just a minute later. Junior forward
Katelyn Mankewich (Scituate, Mass.) won the ball in Beavers territory and played it over to Pottle, who steadied herself before unleashing a strike. The wind carried the ball in both speed and distance, allowing it to float just over the reach of the keeper to give Coast Guard an early 1-0 lead and Pottle her second goal of the season.
Babson would even the score in the 11th. They made a run deep into the Bears backfield, where an attacker found an opening just inside the box. The try was deflected by Vlases but fell to a crashing Beaver, who followed up with a point-blank try past a well-placed
Julia Little (Pensacola, Fla.)
The 54th minute held another big chance for the Bears. Senior captain
Annabelle Pezzulo (Ashaway, R.I.) stepped up for a free kick from just past the midline and sent a laser towards the net. It looked destined find the top right corner to give the Bears a 2-1 lead, but a great leap upwards by the Babson keeper preserved the tie.
The Beavers made a run in the 78th, with an attacker finding an opening in the box but sending it off the top woodwork and back into the field of play. Babson would regain control and work it to the right side of the Bears' box to send a great cross in for a header, but it would be saved by Little, who finished the evening with four stops.
Babson held a heavy 21-6 advantage in shot attempts, but Coast Guard held a 6-5 lead in shots on goal. Three of each for the Bears were attempted by Vlases, who tried all of them on free kicks. The Bears were only able to get one off in the second half while facing the wind, while Babson took advantage of the elemental benefit to unload 16.
The Beavers seemed intent on wearing down Coast Guard, committing 19 fouls amidst the harsh weather while the Bears were called for six. Two yellow cards were drawn against the visitors, with both being handed out within five minutes of each other.
