The Oberlin College women’s soccer team delivered a commanding performance Saturday, notching a decisive 7–0 victory over Olivet College at home. This performance marked the Yeowomen’s largest margin of victory since 2017, boosting their season record to 3–3–1. Behind contributions from 10 different athletes, Oberlin’s offensive firepower proved too much for the Comets to handle, while the Yeowomen’s defense secured their first shutout of the season.
The Yeowomen wasted no time asserting their dominance in the match, finding the back of the net just 1:49 into the first half. A well-executed combination play between fourth-years Zoe Garver, Heather Benway, and Sophia Timm-Blow resulted in the opening goal. Timm-Blow, a midfielder, worked past Olivet’s defense before delivering a precise long ball into the goal, putting Oberlin ahead 1–0. With momentum on their side, the Yeowomen continued to press forward. At the 10:47 mark, forward Benway doubled Oberlin’s lead with a perfectly timed one-touch finish, courtesy of a sharp assist from fourth-year Sofia Mitchell. The Yeowomen’s third and final goal of the first half came from a well-placed cross by Timm-Blow, who found Garver at the top of the goalbox. Garver calmly slotted the ball into the net, extending Oberlin’s lead to 3-0 before halftime.
The second half saw no letup in Oberlin’s offensive intensity, as they added four more goals to their tally, bringing the total to seven. Benway’s second goal of the match came after an assist from Samantha Gilfond, who set up the 2022 NCAC Offensive Player of the Year with a one-on-one opportunity against the Olivet goalkeeper. Benway delivered, sticking the ball past the keeper to make it 4–0. Barely a minute later, the Yeowomen struck again. This time, it was third-year Sophia Wilson who connected with second-year Norah Mosley, who took a shot from nearly 30 yards out, catching the Olivet defense off their guard. The ball sailed into the back of the net, giving Oberlin an overwhelming 5–0 lead. The Yeowomen’s young talent got in on the action late in the match, with first-year Skylar Leung showcasing her impressive footwork leading to assists for multiple teammates. Leung’s drive down the field led to an opportunity for fellow first-year Averi Williams, who capitalized with a close-range shot to make it 6–0. Leung continued to shine, assisting on the final goal of the game as she threaded the ball through Olivet’s defense to meet third-year Ashlee Hiller, who netted her first goal of the season.
While Oberlin’s offense stole the spotlight, the defensive unit was equally impressive. Goalkeepers third-year Ali Grant and first-year Roam Redington split time in the net, combining for a clean sheet. Grant started the match and held Olivet scoreless in the first half before Redington took over in the second half to preserve the shutout. The Yeowomen’s backline stifled any offensive advances by the Comets, limiting their scoring opportunities throughout the game
“The game was a great opportunity for us to score a lot of goals because we’ve had trouble connecting the last few dots to get the ball in the back of the net,” Benway said in a message to the Review. “But against Olivet, everyone was fired up to get it done.”
Even with a large lead, the Yeowoemen did not change their style of play.
“I think as a team we overcame a different difficulty during this match,” third-year wing Maddi New said in a message to the Review. “We were able to maintain composure and play our best game; quick paced and aggressive.”
Saturday’s triumph over Olivet was a much-needed confidence booster for Oberlin. The Yeowomen will look to build on this momentum when they travel for an in-state matchup against Heidelberg University on Saturday.
