Women’s soccer knocks defending champs

Impressive showing has Dal in tight for AUS lead

Tigers vs. Capers. Photo by Rob Grandy.

The Cape Breton Capers entered last Saturday’s game on a wet Wickwire with no goals against in their three previous games, a statistic not built to last against the Tigers women’s soccer team.

In what was a possible playoff preview, Dal managed to get some tallies behind the Capers en route to a 3 – 2 victory. The Tigers took the three points in an impressive team-wide display.

With the win, Dal knocked CBU from the top of the standings. After a Sunday victory by an undefeated UPEI squad, the Panthers took the league lead. Dal sits second with 12 points and a 4 – 1 record, while Cape Breton is fourth.

Dal tested early what was at the time an impenetrable CBU defence with many solid chances. The story was the same at the other end of the pitch.

The play remained scoreless early in the first half before the 17th minute of play when Robbyn McNeill of the Capers capitalized on a defensive blunder to score the first goal.

Just six minutes later, the Tigers answered back. Proving the importance of timing and positioning, Pamela Krieg scored Dal’s first goal to tie the game at one.

The later half of the first featured much back-and-forth play. There was not much offence to speak of until the 39th minute when Tigers captain Rieka Santilli punched through the CBU defence, entering the box and soaring the ball to the back of the net. Santilli’s goal put Dal up 2 – 1.

The Capers had more in store for Dal before the break. In the final minute of the half, Alyssa Kavanaugh netted the second CBU tally to, once again, even the game. CBU morale was high as the whistle blew and the rain showed no signs of slowing down.

Scoring opportunities were rare in the second half with the occasional chance for both teams. Although both CBU and Dal presented two opposing styles of play, Wickwire hosted two basically equal teams—that is, until the 74th minute. Defensively minded Tigers midfielder Beth O’Reilly lobbed a shot over the heads of the CBU defence and keeper from outside the box to give Dal a 3 – 2 lead. The Tigers held on for the win.

Dal coach Jack Hutchinson said it felt good to be the first team to score on CBU this season but “not as good as it does to beat them.”

Important games for positioning atop the AUS standings are in store for the women’s soccer team this weekend. On Friday, Sept. 30 the Tigers are at third-place St. FX, and the next day they’ll hope to bury the Capers again.