Last year’s women’s soccer squad succeeded by cultivating a set identity and definitive leadership. The centerpiece and source of leadership on that team was senior captain Nicole DePalma, member of the All Big East Second Team.
When asked how the Hoyas (1-0-1 overall, 0-0-1 BE) would fill the void left by DePalma’s absence this year, coach Dave Nolan responded, “We haven’t filled it yet. We’re waiting for our team’s personality to form. Last year we were Nicole’s team. Nicole was the heartbeat of the team and as she went, everyone went.”
The Hoyas are not only seeking leadership lost in DePalma. The first year brought in to replace her, Stephanie Zare, may be out for the season recovering from a broken leg.
While the team is still on the road to discovering their unique identity, this year’s team showed no signs of stress in the season’s first contest.
Before a 1-1 overtime tie with Villanova on Wednesday, the Hoyas answered the call in their home opener, defeating Bucknell (1-1-0 overall) 3-1 on North Kehoe Field in a total team effort. The Hoyas dominated the Bison, scuffing their Orange Crush inspired jerseys for all but 10 minutes of the match. The majority of the game was carried out in Bucknell territory, forcing them to play on their heels. The Hoyas were constantly on the attack.
In the ninth minute of play the team capitalized on their aggressive style with a goal by sophomore midfielder Sara Jordan, last season’s goals leader, off of a corner-kick. On the rain-soaked field, the ball seemed to slide through defenders and slip into the back-corner of the net.
“It was wet,” Jordan said. “But we’ve been working a lot this week on set pieces and we just executed it.”
While the Hoyas had possession for the better part of the first half, this was the only tally they had to show for it. After a few missed opportunities in the second half, it was Jordan again who led the Hoyas offensive attack. In the 70th minute she hit sophomore forward Elaina Filauro with a crisp crossing pass which Filauro emphatically booted past Bucknell junior keeper Katie Dry.
Although that goal would turn out to be all the Hoyas needed to secure their first victory, they continued to put the pressure on Bucknell for the remainder of the second half.
After a series of narrow misses and squandered opportunities, red-shirt senior Ali Hardy put the game out of reach with a goal in the 76th minute. The hustling midfielder willed herself possession after battling two defenders in front of the Bucknell goal, and put away her first score of the year to end the game.
However, second year coach Dave Nolan wasn’t totally satisfied with his team’s play despite their win. “In the first half, I felt for all the possession we had, we should have created more chances,” he said. “Whereas in the second half we had so many chances, I feel with a little bit of composure we would have been in better shape.”
These missed chances almost came back to haunt the Hoyas as the first 10 minutes of the second half belonged to Bucknell. “I told the team ‘Don’t come out flat,’” Nolan said. “But I think you jinx yourself a little when you do that.”
A goal by the Bison’s first year forward Jennifer Dervarics seemed to bring the Hoyas back to life. “It was just a wake-up call for us,” Jordan said. “When it was 1-1, anything can happen. So we just stepped up and started finishing our chances.” What helped the team survive the Bison’s only stampede was the play of the hard-working Hardy, which was no surprise to Coach Nolan.
“I’m hoping the team will be Ali’s team,” Nolan said. “I think she was the one that managed to right the ship. At one stage you see her making a tackle at the end of our box, and then you see her on top of their box two minutes later. She had an exceptional game.”
The Hoyas looks to get back on the winning track at home this Saturday when they take on Fairleigh Dickinson at 1:00 p.m.
