A Gritty Women's Soccer Team Ties Their Season Opener

Box Score St. Louis- Coming back from a two-goal deficit, the Principia women's soccer team ends their season opener against St. Louis College of Pharmacy with a 2-2 tie!

The coaching staff is very proud of the team and their effort tonight. They played with fortitude and grit for 90 minutes plus two 10 minute overtimes- all without any substitutions. This game marked the first college debut for 5 freshmen: goalkeeper, Leslie Barrera, center back, Olivia Scott, outside back, Rachael Williams, center midfielder, Adriana Rucks, and right forward, Abby Penfield. It was also the first official game for our two starting sophomores who missed last spring season: holding midfielder, Kaija Ufert, and left forward, Kannon Gill. 
 
It was a shaky start, as the Eutectics kept the Panthers in their defensive half for the majority of the time. However, the tenacious defensive play by Edner Oloo, Kiona Sperr, Scott, Williams, Ufert, along with Barrera's steady and composed goalkeeping, kept the Eutectics at bay. There was lot of good passing combinations, but the Panthers could not hold the ball long enough to build an effective attack. The first half would end 0-0.
 
The Panthers expected to build from the first half but the Eutectics would stop any momentum by scoring their first goal five minutes into the second half from a long shot from the left that would slip through Barrera's fingertips. The Eutectics would capitalize again six minutes later.
 
Despite being down 2-0, the Panthers never gave up and continued to pass the ball around until finally they caught a break. Junior, Georgia Rather would get fouled outside the 18. It would be Rather who take the free kick and shoot the ball out of the Eutectics keeper's reach for the goal. Rather would score again nine minutes later after heading the ball past the goalkeeper from a free kick by sophomore, Kannon Gill, who would cap the assist. With the score 2-2 and six minutes left in the game, the Panthers held on to end regular time still tied.
 
The game would go into two 10 minute over time periods, no team would score although, each team had chances.
 
The Panthers look forward to their next game against Illinois College on Tuesday, September 7 at 7pm!