Saturday, Oct. 21, Elizabethtown College’s women’s and men’s soccer teams faced off against Susquehanna University in back-to-back home games. Both games were crucial for the teams’ future in this season’s playoffs.
The women’s game kicked off at 1 p.m. and they opened their game with a scoreless first half despite four shots made by the Blue Jays compared to only one by the Susquehanna River Hawks. Senior Maria Boretti attempted two shots on goal, but both were blocked by the River Hawks.
The score stood at 0-0 coming out of halftime, but it took only a minute and a half for the River Hawks’ senior Alyssa Bolger to score against the Blue Jays in the second half, putting Susquehanna in the lead.
The River Hawks maintained the lead until the end of the game even with Etown senior Haley Vozzella and first-year Alli Lasky’s attempts on goal. As such, the women’s soccer team lost to Susquehanna 1-0 in their Homecoming and Senior Day game.
Even with the loss, the women’s team is currently tied for the fourth and final spot in the playoffs and can take the spot with a win against Juniata College Saturday, Oct. 28.
The men’s soccer team followed the women’s game at 4:30 against Susquehanna. Much like the women’s game, the score was 0-0 heading into halftime despite five shots in the first half.
Coming out of halftime and the Homecoming coronation ceremony, the crowned Homecoming King of 2017, senior Aaron Rathsam, made a pass to junior Gilbert Waso who put the Blue Jays in the lead 1-0.
Another member of the Homecoming court, first-year fan Emma Frennborn, described the moment as a “spot-on corner shot, which was exciting to see after the 0-0 score in the first half.”
The Blue Jays were able to hold off the River Hawks from making any shots on goal the entire game, and the River Hawks’ attempts at pushing forward with two shots from Zachary Goodwin and Jacob Butzler failed by flying over the crossbar and by flying off to the right of the goal, respectively.
The game finished with a score of 1-0, favoring the Blue Jays. Waso’s corner shot was the only successful shot on goal of the night for Etown’s soccer teams.
After the game, Rathsam spoke of his team’s success, crown in hand.
“It was definitely a tough one and a really great team effort. It’s really exciting that we won,” Rathsam said. “If we win the next game now, we clinch the spot in the playoffs.”
Additionally, Rathsam commented on what it was like being crowned Homecoming King minutes before his successful second half of the game.
“It was a great honor [to be crowned], Rathsam said. “The guys were all really supportive.”
Currently, the men’s soccer team is in second place in the conference and if they win on the road against Juniata Saturday, Oct. 28 in their final game of the regular season, they will secure a home game during the playoffs.
