By Kerrigan Coyle ‘15
STAFF Writer
The Women’s Soccer team is off to great start this season in their non-conference schedule. Led by their two returning stars Rachel Terry (sophomore) and transfer Kelly Ristoff (junior/Siena), they have both found the back of the net in each non-conference game. Terry has scored three goals in two games, and Ristoff has knocked in six goals in four games (with one hat trick). These two girls have provided an offensive spark early this season to a team that has been missing firepower.
Behind the offense has been an experienced defense led by seniors Katherine Duke and Renee Keller, along with junior Jenelle Powell. Junior goalie Tori Corsaro has posted three consecutive shutouts, matching her jersey number of zero. This achievement was not reached last year, but the team would love to create a new record for consecutive shutouts this year.
Powell praised her younger teammates when asked why the defense has played better.
“The younger girls have meshed in well with the upperclassmen on the team.” Filling into these positions is not easy for a younger athlete. Powell added, “We have had multiple girls step up as leaders and replace the leadership positions left open by the class of 2014.”
Defense does win championships, but sometimes the best defense is a good offense- a philosophy the Dolphins have adapted to this past week.
“We are focusing more in practice on scoring, and the offensive players are all doing their job very well,” said Marissa Walsh a Junior outside midfielder. “Kelly and Rachel just understand each other well in their second year playing together.”
Walsh also has a game winning goal this season.. It came on Saturday against Bentley to win the game in double overtime.
The Dolphins are now 2-1 in overtime games and 3-2 on the season coming into their game against Saint Rose on Wednesday, Sept. 17th. Saint Rose is the defending NE-10 champion and should be a tough contest for the ‘Phins.
“The focus changes from conference to non-conference. Our goal is making the NE-10 tournament, and it depends on how the teams plays against our conference opponents,” said Senior Mackenzie Irvin. “It goes from playing well as a team and getting to know each other to a more serious attitude for winning and making the playoffs.”
When a team puts together a week where you have three games and go undefeated, they have a great chance at the playoffs, since they showed the ability to remain consistent. Of course, remaining consistent is a difficult thing to do, but if the Dolphins can replicate their balanced offense and rock solid defense, the NE-10 will have something to worry about.
If Ristoff and Walsh have done anything this past week, they have shown that you don’t need to win all your games in a blowout. Being dramatic and waiting for extra time works just fine. It just gives everyone high blood pressure.
