By Edward Johnson
Staff Writer
The College’s women’s soccer team won back-to-back games on the road this past week at Ursinus and No. 23 Penn State Harrisburg in Pennsylvania. They dominated their first two opponents, starting the season 2-0 for the first time since their NCAA Division III National Championship run in 2021.
The Lions routed the Ursinus Bears 5-1 on Tuesday, Sep. 1 on the road in Collegeville, PA, behind a strong performance from junior Maggie Murphy as she scored three goals on four attempts.
They continued their dominance by defeating the host Nitty Lions 2-0 on Sept. 5 in Middletown, PA, behind great performances from senior Alyssa Alfano, who scored a goal, and sophomore Isabella Charles chipped in with one as well.
Murphy earned the first hat trick of her career against the Bears and Alfano became the seventh player in program history to record 20 goals and 20 assists in their careers. She added to her career milestone by scoring another goal and an assist against Penn State Harrisburg to increase those numbers to 21 and 21.
Junior goalkeeper Ellen Williams scored the 20th shutout of her career against Penn State Harrisburg. The Lions have looked impressively dominant in their first two wins, showcasing a deep roster that may be hard to contend with.
The Lions have won two New Jersey Athletic Conference State Championships in 2023 and 2024, but playing this well may earn them another shot at a NCAA Division III National Championship run, their first since 2021. In that season, they fell short to Christopher Newport University 2-0 in the national title game after posting a perfect 21-0 season.
They have not won a national title since 2000, but with two wins on the road and the next two games at home, starting 4-0 would be a great way to get things going in the right direction.
Charles secured NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, proving to be an anchor for strong Lions defense. She also picked up a pair of goals on offense, proving herself to be a threat on both sides of the ball.
The Lions then went on to take on Arcadia on Sept. 9 at Lions Stadium to mark a brief stint at home.
