Over the past couple of years, the women’s soccer team has had a streak of winning their season opener. The team kept the streak alive with a 2–0 victory over the Allegheny College Gators. Third-year Zoe Garver wasted no time making her mark on the game and has proved herself to be a key asset for the Yeowomen this year. Garver scored two goals, one at the three minute mark and the other at 14’, with the second goal assisted by third-year Heather Benway.
“It was actually a really good assist,” Garver said. “[Benway] just slotted it past the back line, and that was what was really fun.”
Second-year Ali Grant started as goalkeeper for the first two games. Grant saved all four shots from the Gators, securing Oberlin’s defensive line. On the offensive side, Garver led the charge and took eight shots with four shots on goal. Five of Benway’s six shots were on goal, fourthyear Adrienne Sato shot three times with one shot on goal, and third-year Tacha Lee took two shots with one shot on goal.
In the Yeowomen’s second game on Sunday, Benway’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. She scored a hat trick, a rare phenomenon that occurs when a player scores three consecutive goals in a single match. The final score was 3–1 against the Franciscan University Barons. Her first goal came in the first half, while the other two were netted in the second half.
“This is my first collegiate hat trick so it was a really exciting game,” Benway said. “I think the last time I got a hat track was during club senior year of high school, and for it to come during the second half, the whole team put in a ton of effort to get those opportunities coming back from a goal down.”
Last year, Benway was named North Coast Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year. As a testament to her accomplishments, she was recently recognized as this week’s NCAC Player of the Week.
“NCAC player of the week is a cool award because we can get an early look at how the conference sees our team, especially during our non-conference games,” Benway said. “I’m happy to get that recognition.”
Norah Mosley, a first-year on the team from Robbinsville, New Jersey, secured her first career point by assisting Benway during the 70’ goal. As a first-year, she has had 98 minutes of playing time between the two games, affirming a promising start to her collegiate career.
Aside from Mosley’s assist, Benway made seven of her eight shots on goal, second-year Sophia Timm-Blow shot three times with one shot on goal, and second-year Elena Foley shot twice.
Claire Vallely, a fourth-year from Trumansburg, NY, praised her team’s performance this past weekend.
“I think we played really well and are really incorporating our new players really well,” Vallely said. “We really studied the tactics of the other teams beforehand and incorporated that into our play.”
Though there are currently some injuries on the team, Head Women’s Soccer Coach Taylor Houck is handling it well. The starting lineup has not drastically changed from last year with their one senior, Camille Franklin, OC ‘23, graduating. There are also new additions to the team, including second-year Sophia Timm-Blow, a transfer from Kalamazoo College, and first-years Audrey Benson and Mosley, all of whom are seamlessly integrating into the squad.
“I think they’re really good additions to the team,” Garver said. “They fit right in and they’re definitely gonna contribute and help us have a good season.”
Some new changes were made in leadership too. This year’s leadership committee members include fourth-years Brynn Adams, Maya Blevins, Mattie Rie, Benji Maddox, and Clark Waltz, as well as third-years Zoe Garver and Sofia Mitchell.
While the Yeowomen faced a setback against Baldwin Wallace University on Tuesday with a 1–4 loss (with a goal made by Garver and assisted by Benway), the team remains resilient. Catch the women’s soccer team this Saturday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. on Fred Shults Field as they play against the Wilmington College Quakers. With their talent, expertise, and determination, the women’s soccer team is poised for an exciting and successful season ahead.
