The women’s soccer team lined up against Rowan University last Wednesday in a matchup of undefeated NJAC powerhouses to determine who would be the No. 1 seed in the 2011 NJAC Championship Women’s Soccer Tournament.
Rowan jumped out to a lead with a goal in the 16th minute of the match. The goal came off of a corner kick on a header from in front of the net.
The Lions responded immediately in the second half, scoring one minute in. Senior midfielder Brittany McGinley continued her goal-scoring ways by putting home a rebound to the lower right corner of the net. McGinley moved from being a defender to a midfielder this year and has exploded offensively.
“Having the opportunity to play in an offensive position for the whole season has given me more opportunity at the goal,” McGinley said.
Ten minutes later, Rowan regained the lead on a goal from the right side, taking the wind out of the Lions’ sails and concluding scoring for the day.
The Lions, however, controlled the pace of the game, outshooting Rowan 24-8 and compiling seven corner kicks to the Profs’ three. The loss drops the College to second place in the NJAC and will make them the second seed in the NJAC Tournament. When asked about their outlook on the season, the team looked forward to the challenges of the postseason.
“We’re getting into the most exciting part of the season,” junior midfielder Katie Cornacchia said. “Our next game is our most important game from here on out, and we finally have a chance to prove ourselves and go far.”
“Our team is a very special team, and we can only go forward and learn from the loss,” said the Lions’ leading scorer, McGinley. “If anything, the loss has changed our way of thinking and has made us realize that we must bring our best every minute of every game.”
The team will resume play in the semifinals of the NJAC tournament against the winner of Montclair State University and William Paterson University’s first-round game
