By Nick Kurti
Correspondent
The College’s women’s soccer team remains at No. 14 nationally after a road win at Ithaca, a draw at Stevens and a shutout against Berry. After improving to 5-0-2 on the season, the Lions have high morale as they quickly approach conference play.
The team made the trek 200 miles north for their match against the Ithaca College Bombers on Sept. 19. The Lions held possession for most of the first half, outshooting the Bombers 6-2. Ithaca's Katrina Varnum made two big saves against junior Jenny Ward and junior Elaina Williams to keep the score at 0-0 after half.
After the break, the Bombers came back aggressive, as possession seemingly flipped and junior Ellen Williams tanked two huge chances from Ithaca in the first eight minutes. In the 63rd minute, senior Alyssa Alfano took a corner kick that came off junior Emily Weidner's back foot to senior Caroline Freer. Freer would make a quick shot into the bottom left to send the Lions up one.
The lead held for most of the game as, in the second half, each side would have seven shots. The Bombers made a valiant effort, taking all five of their corners in the latter half of the game, but it was the College who came out on top.
On Sept. 23, the Lions hit the road once more to Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom opponent Stevens. Weidner created a huge chance that hit off the crossbar, but the first half was otherwise a defensive stalemate.
The Ducks cranked up their offense in the second half, but the Lions had made just as many chances. The team outpaced Stevens in shots 16-10 and corners 8-2.
Both Williams and Stevens’ Maria O'Brien made crucial saves in goal on both ends of the pitch to end the game in a draw, just the second one for a red-hot women’s team.
The Lions faced off against Georgia’s own Berry College on Sept. 26, who made the trek all the way up from the Peach State to take on the Lions in what would be their final non-conference game. A corner by junior Maggie Murphy in the 22nd minute would come to Ward for a header into the net to send the Lions up 1-0 before the break.
In the second, the team continued their dominant performance, with a goal by Weidner coming off Freer’s free kick and Murphy netting the Lion’s first penalty kick goal of the 2026 season. The College had an overall dominant performance against the Vikings, outshooting them 30-6.
The team took on No. 6 Rowan in Glassboro, N.J. on Sept. 30 as they began their push through the New Jersey Athletic Conference in hopes of picking up another conference victory.
Rowan is currently undefeated, comfortably holding a 5-0 record with only one goal scored against them. A Lions offense that has been consistent throughout the year looks to take advantage of an overconfident Profs defense to upset the top team in the conference.
