By Evan Doan, Sports Editor
Aquinas women’s soccer seniors pose on senior day – Photo by Aquinas Women’s Soccer
After a 1-3 start to the season the women’s soccer team found strong form as of late heading into their senior day game against Defiance College. The Saints won their last four matches including two over conference opponents Cleary and Rochester Christian.
The Saints would dominate the first half despite the scoreboard. Defiance only managed one shot as the Saint defence stood tall. The Aquinas attack would pressure the Yellow Jacket defense all half, but would be unable to find the back of the net.
The Saints would fire eleven shots in the first half with four of them finding the target, but the Defiance keeper was able to turn them all away as the Saints went into halftime tied 0-0 despite controlling the game.
The Saints would break through the Defiance defence within the first minute of the second half. Senior Maeve Comfort would play a long ball up the left side that junior Khloe Koelling was able to track down. She played it inside to sophomore Joy Reams who found senior Aubrey Phenicie on the back post to break the dead lock.
Three minutes later junior Reegyn Cady would send a pass over the Defiance backline that set Reams free and after avoiding a diving attempt from the Defiance goalie was able to find Koelling for a second Saint score.
The Saints stayed hot three minutes later when a senior Savannah Reese pass would send junior Bella Teelander on a run up the right side. Teelander found Reams in the box to push the Saint lead to three.
Aquinas women’s soccer vs Defiance College – photo by Aquinas Women’s Soccer
“I think in the second half we were really able to take advantage of our speed,” Reese said. “We were able to get behind their defense which caused chaos in the box.”
The Saints continued to press the attack, but Defiance was able to turn away multiple quality scoring opportunities from the Saints until Reams would send a cross into the box. Cady was able to collect the rebound and find the back of the net to make it 4-0 Aquinas in the fifty-eighth minute.
Aquinas would strike a fifth time in the sixty-second minute when Reese found sophomore Ellie Lezowski for the Saints final tally of the contest. The Saint defence did not allow a shot for the entire second half never giving the Yellow Jackets a chance for a comeback.
The 5-0 win saw the Saints improve to 3-0 in conference and extend their win streak to five. Their next contest is against Michigan-Dearborn at 7 pm at home Oct 7.
