Oct. 25, 2015
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EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette women's soccer team came out on Sunday afternoon with a purpose, controlling the majority of the game and receiving their reward with a 1-0 victory over Navy in a must-win scenario at Mike Bourger '44 Field at Oaks Stadium.
The win marks the first for the Maroon and White over Navy since Oct. 7, 2011, and moves the Leopards to 8-6-1 with one game remaining, solidifying the team's first winning season since that 2011 campaign. Lafayette's playoff chances also remain alive as the following explains what needs to happen on Saturday for the Leopards to join the postseason field.
Lafayette must defeat Colgate as step one. Then, if Army and Lehigh both lose or draw, the Leopards will be the five seed and travel to the third seed in the quarterfinal round. If either Army or Lehigh wins and the other draws or loses, the Leopards would be the six seed and travel to the four seed in the quarterfinals. If Army and Lehigh both win, Lafayette's result at Colgate is voided.
That being said, Sunday's game was one the Leopards had to have and looked to be formidable as the Mids entered the contest without a loss in seven Patriot League games this season, a 3-0-4 mark. Lafayette changed that with solid defense and a 64th-minute penalty kick from Julia Wescott that was beautifully-taken into the left side for the game's only marker.
"We were good in large parts of the game. For the most part, our possession on the ball was quite good," head coach Mick Statham said. "Our back four were really disciplined. They have players that are very good with their back to goal, so our defense had to be patient at times and know when to step in. Our discipline, decision-making and experience allowed us to defend aggressively, but play smart at the same time."
The Leopards' second league win came on Lafayette's final home game of the 2015 campaign, marking Senior Day for the program's five upperclassmen. Prior to the contest, Anna Wissler, Samantha Potoczak, Madison Murray, Shannon Hartzell and Kelly Chickering were honored for their four-year contributions to Lafayette women's soccer.
"Any coach would love to send their seniors out with a win in a big game," Statham said. "It's a marvelous team day, but it's also icing on the cake for five great girls."
"It felt great [to win for the seniors]. They deserve it and did so much for the program this year," Wescott added. "I think everyone agrees that they've done a great job leading the team and it was nice to be able to give them this win."
The Maroon and White controlled the game from the opening kickoff, rattling off the first eight shots of the contest in a first half that was spent, for the majority, in the Navy defensive half. Freshman Katie Brannigan was involved in a trio of opportunities in the first 25 minutes that could have resulted in the game's first goal.
Just six minutes in, Brannigan, off a throw on the right side, sent a through-ball around a pair of defenders and on to junior Kaelin King streaking into the box. Her sharp-angle shot sailed just outside the far post, but it was a chance that set the tone for Lafayette's offensive day.
Fifteen minutes later, junior Joanna Scotti worked with Brannigan down the right side, sending the rookie into a 1v1 situation with Navy keeper Dayton Wetherby. Brannigan's low dribbler beat Wetherby but was kicked up and headed off the line by Mids' defender Lexi Ricketts.
The third chance came off a second opportunity at a cross originally started from a corner. Potoczak sent a ball across the front of goal that found the settled feet of Brannigan on the far side. Unfortunately, her shot slipped just off the near post and out of play, sending the game into the halftime break with a scoreless draw.
The Leopards, knowing they had done enough thus far to earn a result in the match, took control again in the second stanza as Brannigan was involved in yet another opportunity for a tally. Streaking down the field in a 4v1 situation off a counter, the freshman picked out King to her left, but the junior mistimed her run and whiffed on the one-time chance at a fairly-open goal.
The Maroon and White finally broke through in the 64th minute, though, as King set up the go-ahead tally. Going to work in the left corner, she sent a ball toward goal into the box that deflected off the outstretched arm of a Navy defender for a handball and a penalty kick. Wescott stepped up and delivered the winning goal.
"There's a reason she's the team penalty-taker," Statham said. "She strikes penalties well, she's mature, she's a good player, she's played in big games here and before she got here, so if anyone is going to walk up and take that kick, she's absolutely the one I want in that moment."
"When I stepped up to the line, my teammate Madison Murray came up to me, settled me down and told me it was easy. I work on these all the time in practice and if I can't score from there, we've got bigger problems, I guess," Wescott added.
For the last 25 minutes of action, the Lafayette defense stepped up, as they had all game to keep Navy off the board and earn their fourth shutout of the season and second since entering conference action. Sophomore Kelly O'Brien earned the win, making three saves in her second half of play, while junior Danielle Sedillo made one stop in her 45 minutes of action between the pipes.
"We've been really resilient this season and this game especially," Wescott added about the way the defense performed. "We talked about certain set plays that we had to make sure we were concentrating on, and their long throw in particular. We made sure we were on our players and ready to go."
Shots were 17-5 in favor of Lafayette and corners were even at four apiece. Lafayette's must-win scenario continues on Saturday as the Leopards travel to Hamilton, N.Y. for an all-important matchup with Colgate at 7 p.m.
That Lafayette-Colgate game will be the final regular-season contest of the season for the Patriot League, so the Leopards, by that time, will know exactly where they stand in terms of their chances at a postseason berth.
