The Hopkins women’s soccer team took Homewood Field on Saturday, Oct. 18, seeking to build upon a nine-game winning streak began in the first week in September.
Playing in crisp, fall weather, the Lady Jays accomplished just that, pulling out a 1-0 victory over conference foe Haverford College.
The visiting Fords came into the game at 5-5-2 overall but with some in-conference struggles as well, sporting a 1-5 Centennial Conference record.
The Lady Jays, however, on the heels of a 4-0 demolition of Ursinus and recent bump in ranking from eighth to seventh in D-III, did not overlook their opponent.
Sophomore defender Katie McEneaney captured the team’s mindset going into the game.
“I think all season we've really only focused on the game in front of us,” McEaney said. “We always say that the most important game is the next one. All of our recent games, especially being in-conference, have been important, and we make an effort to focus and prepare like any other game. We go in with the same goals and the mindset to play to win. Haverford was a big one for us, but our team has worked hard all season, and I think we all knew what we had to do to win going into it.”
Head Coach Leo Weil’s squad played stout defense in the first half, limiting Haverford to only two shots on goal while countering with 10 of its own. In the second half, it took about 20 minutes for one of the period’s nine attempts to find the back of the net.
After sophomore Ana Bengoechea took the ball at midfield, she dribbled forward before letting loose a through ball to senior midfielder Sydney Teng. Teng ripped a shot from 18 yards out and gave the Lady Jays a 1-0 lead. It was Teng’s seventh goal of the season, good for the fourth highest total in the conference.
“I think the play developed on the right side of the field, coming out of the back,” Teng said. “Ana recognized the gaps in their defense as they were shifting, and she played a fantastic quick through ball up the middle of the field as I was making a diagonal run. I saw the keeper come off of her line, so I decided to catch her off-guard and hit it first touch off of a half volley and into the near post.”
Before Teng’s strike in the 63rd minute put Hopkins up for good, Haverford threatened to score on one of its limited opportunities on goal.
Ford defender Kristin Hasselgren nearly found the top left corner of the goal on a first half free kick. Junior goalie Sarah Bennett, however, had other ideas. She ruined what initially looked to be a master set piece by Haverford by reaching out and punching the ball out of harm’s way over the crossbar.
That effort turned out to be all of Bennett’s work for the day, as Haverford’s low shot count afforded her only one save opportunity. Bennett was recently named Centennial Conference Defender of the Week on Oct. 20. The award was a tribute to both a sound effort on the field Saturday as well as her entire season thus far as the junior has yet to allow a goal.
The team has allowed only two goals over the current 10-game winning streak.
Despite a shortage of goals, senior stars Hannah Kronick and Teng combined for eight shots on goal.
Teng believes the streak will not end any time soon.
“We usually start to pick up our game in the last few weeks of the regular season, which is the most exciting time,” Teng said. “We know that every time we step out on the field, the other team will do its best to beat us and any game could be the last. I am confident that we will rise to the occasion, and I expect our best soccer to be ahead of us.”
The next time the team takes the pitch is on Oct. 25 against Bryn Mawr.
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