It was like the women’s soccer team never had a few months off at all. The first week of games for the Lions showed that these players are versatile and can jump right back into the new season, almost as if they were in mid-season form.
The non-confernce season began last Friday and Saturday with the TCNJ Classic, in which the College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Stevens Institute of Technology and William Smith College faced off against each other in an end-of-the-summer tournament.
Leaving nothing on the sidelines, the Lions came roaring out from the beginning and won both of their games in the Classic.
In the first game, the Lions took on William Smith College in game with true Lions’ style. Junior forward Leigh Applestein scored first for the Lions in the opening minutes on the game. Junior defender Jordan Downs was back for the Lions this year and assisted Applestein’s goal, the first of the year.
The Herons then scored shortly after, making the score 1-1, which stayed consistent until the very end of the game.
With 12:17 left in the game, senior forward Katie Lindacher sent the ball soaring past the Herons’ diving goalkeeper and into the net, giving the Lions a lead they would keep until the final whistle.
Senior goalkeeper Kendra Griffith helped the College hold on for the win, notching four saves in the first game of her fourth season with the team.
In the second game of the tournament, the Lions seemed even more determined. Their unlucky opponent was Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, who put up a good fight but not one strong enough to match the Lions.
The new players on the team showed what they were worth in this game, as freshman forward Christine Levering led the way with two goals for the Lions — half of their total offensive production for the week.
In the final five minutes of the opening half, Levering led the way with three shots on goal, while junior forward Korrie Harkins had two, and a plethora of other teammates had one. Griffith finished the game with three great saves.
While it may be intimidating for freshman players to be playing at this level, the freshmen on this team seem to be meshing with everyone else just fine. They were integral assets during these first two games and hold much promise for the rest of the season. What we have seen from them this early on in the season is highly impressive.
“Even as a freshman, I can tell we have a very special team and that we are going to do great things this year,” freshman defender Aubrey Andrews said. “It’s been incredible to be taken in by the upperclassmen and to really feel a part of the tradition, pride, selflessness and determination that makes up this incredible team — I guarantee you we will be ready to do whatever it takes to make it all the way, together as a family.”
The Lions have another tournament this coming week, in which they take on Stevenson University on Saturday and St. Mary’s College of Maryland on Sunday. Regular season play begins on Saturday, Sept. 14 against Farmingdale College.
