Soccer gains UAA win
The women’s soccer team hosted the Allegheny College Gators on Wednesday and the University of Chicago Maroons on Saturday at Gesling Stadium. The team tallied a 0–0 tie against the Gators and their first University Athletic Association (UAA) win of the season against the Maroons 3–0, with three goals from junior midfielder Abigail Coffin. The Tartans advanced to a 6–4 record overall and 1–1 in the UAA.
Double overtime could not determine a winner in the match against Allegheny. Despite the Tartans taking eight shots in comparison to three by the Gators, no goals resulted in the match.
Carnegie Mellon’s defensive back line of juniors Sarah DeWath and Mary Ashe, sophomore Casey Garth, and first-year Emily Overstreet maintained composure and prevented the Gators offense from penetrating.
Allegheny first-year goalkeeper Kesley Mozzoni made one save during the game while Tartan first-year goalkeeper Anya Rosen did not make any.
The University of Chicago match marked the first UAA home game of the 2007 season, bringing much anticipation and pressure to both teams. Going into the match, the Tartans were 0–1 in the UAA with a 2–0 loss against Washington (Mo.) University. The Maroons were also winless in the UAA, having previously tied Emory 0–0 in double overtime.
Tartan senior midfielder Amanda Rose struck a free kick into the 18-yard box directly to Coffin’s head. Coffin smashed the ball just out of reach of Chicago senior goalkeeper Amanda Sutter, scoring the match’s first goal in the 24th minute. The Tartans closed the first half with a 1–0 lead.
Carnegie Mellon had a second scoring opportunity off of a set play in the 84th minute. Rose placed the ball into the box and it scurried past Sutter, giving Coffin a wide open net and her second goal of the match.
Nearly a minute and a half later, Chicago retaliated with their first goal of the game when sophomore Claire Gill crossed a ball into the center of the field for junior midfielder Siggy Nachtergaele to volley past Rosen.
Carnegie Mellon ceased to be content with a one-goal advantage. Senior midfielder Jessica Howard served a cross into the center of the field, which Coffin headed into the lower far corner of the goal in the 89th minute.
Coffin recorded her third goal of the match and has racked up 10 goals this season. She registers four career hat tricks and was named UAA Co-Athlete of the Week on Oct. 1.
Rosen made two saves while Sutter only made one. The Tartans out-shot Chicago eight to five.
Coffin is just three goals shy of beating the school record set by Hallie DuMont, who had 31 career goals from 2002 to 2005. “It seems that I score in bunches. I do not know why though,” Coffin said. “The outside middies are doing a great job finding their forwards. A goal wouldn’t exist without an assist.”
“I was very proud of the team yesterday. We attacked with 11 players and defended with 11 players. And that is how you score three goals,” Coffin said. “I was very excited about our first UAA win. We face all games the same but UAA always builds up a certain rivalry. We always want to beat Wash. U., Rochester, and Chicago.”
The Carnegie Mellon women’s soccer team will continue UAA play this weekend, traveling to the University of Rochester on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. game, and to Case Western Reserve University on Sunday for a 2:30 p.m. game.