The women’s soccer team continues to find silver linings in the struggles of a losing season.
Despite holding a 1-13-2 record, the Hawks are looking to finish the season strong, taking every positive and playing until the final whistle.
“For the fact that we’re not able to win, their spirits are still up,” Hawks head coach Colleen Bruley said. “And we’re still working hard, and they’re still learning every day. It’s been fun to still go to practice, even though we’re struggling.”
The Hawks continued their schedule of State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) matchups until the conclusion of the season with a 3-2 loss against SUNY Potsdam on Friday, Oct. 7 at home on South Turf Field.
The Bears opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Soon after, Hawks third-year forward Gabriela Cabello knotted the game up at 1-1 in the 24th minute. During the second half, Hawks third-year defender Monica Rouse headed home a corner kick from first-year midfielder Jessica Fox to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute. Even though the Hawks took a lead, they could not hold on. The Bears would tally the equalizer in the 60th minute and net the go-ahead goal in the 78th minute.
Prior to the match against SUNY Plattsburgh the following day, the Hawks honored their five fourth-years in a “Senior Day Ceremony.” Those Hawks are fourth-year captain Sloane Lipshie, forward Sophie Constantino, and midfielders Kaite Mulry, Skye Kaler and Hannah Moran.
Kaler would record the only Hawks goal on the day less than a minute into the match. The Cardinals would counter with five unanswered goals, taking the match and home finale 5-1.
Hawks first-year goalkeeper Angela Ratka made 11 saves in the contest—her fourth double digit save match of the season.
On Saturday, Oct. 15 the Hawks would take a scoreless road match into halftime with SUNY Oneonta. However, the Red Dragons would score the lone goal in the 57th minute and come away with a 1-0 shutout win.
“Even though we lost, it was still a positive for us,” Bruley said. “We have to try to pick out every little positive that we can in a season like this, and we were able to do that and we’ll build on it.”
Lipshie said that compared to the team’s previous games, they did a better job of getting numbers behind the ball defensively and again playing to the final minute against Oneonta.
“[Oneonta] was not our best game and we held a tie for most of the game against a top team,” Lipshie said. “There was tremendous effort until the whistle blew. They scored using a quick restart off an indirect kick and we were on our heels. Unfortunately people only see the final score and not the effort of the individuals that make up the team.”
The Hawks will face SUNY Fredonia on Friday, Oct. 21 at 3 p.m. and No. 22 Buffalo State on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. to close out their 2016 season.
“We got Fredonia on Friday [Oct. 21] and they’re in the same boat as us,” Bruley said. “Everything that we do from here on out is with our goal in mind of winning and beating Fredonia. That’s what the whole season has come down to now. That’s what we’re going to work hard for as well.”
