By Corey Pollnow
After winning their last two home games against Siena and Fairfield, the Central Women’s soccer team made two costly mistakes on Sunday evening, resulting in a 0-2 loss.
In the 62nd minute, Margaret Purce scored her fifth goal of the season and gave Harvard a two goal cushion when she scored on a breakaway that was caused by a bad touch by a Central defender.
Central was unable to beat the Crimson to the ball on a corner kick in the 8th minute. Emily Mosbacher got her head on the ball off the corner kick by Peyton Johnson, and directed the ball into the top left of the goal.
“It was a game of chances and we made two defensive mistakes,” said Coach D’Arcy. “On the corner kick we didn’t track the runner and on the second [goal] we got stripped on top of the 18 yard box. Two rather elementary mistakes and we were punished for both of them.”
The Blue Devils have often come out flat footed with a lack of energy early in games, but that was not the case versus Harvard. “I thought we were the better team for the first 15 minutes,” said D’Arcy. “We had 75 percent of the possession for the first 15 minutes, but we couldn’t get the goal that could’ve built our confidence.”
Central’s best scoring chance came in the second half when Jewel Robinson dribbled deep into the penalty box, but was reluctant to take a shot and her cross was quickly cleared by the Crimson.
“On the [offensive] end I thought we created a bunch of chances and we failed to pull the trigger inside the 18 yard box,” said D’Arcy. “People are still looking to pass the responsibility of the shot onto another player. If we don’t start taking responsibility inside the 18 then we can’t score. That’s the difference in the game. Two mistakes.”
Nikola Deiter played all 90 minutes and saved eight of Harvard’s 10 shots on goal. Deiter made a spectacular save in the second half on a shot that was placed into the upper right 90 of the goal and should’ve been a goal. But Deiter robbed Harvard of a goal as she dove to her right, extended her right arm just far enough to deflect the ball off the post.
Deiter’s saved 48 shots in nine games, has a goals against average of 1.88 and a .750 save percentage.
Central recorded 11 shots for the game, with four of them being on goal. Harvard tallied 15 shots, with 10 of them being on goal.
With the loss the women’s soccer team drops to 2-7-0, and Harvard’s record improves to 5-3-1.
“It’s a whole new beginning for us,” said D’Arcy in regards to their next game and Northeast Conference opener at home versus Robert Morris on Friday evening at 7 p.m.
