Even before last Friday’s game, the dynamics of the season had changed. After winning the SoCon Tournament and advancing to the program’s first NCAA Tournament, it was all about fun – the icing on the cake of a sweet season. And though the team fell 4-0 to 2-seed South Carolina, the legacy of this team won’t be shutout anytime soon.
The Gamecocks entered the NCAA tournament as champions of the SEC, one of the perennial powerhouses in women’s soccer. The ’Cats had just blown away everyone with their first SoCon championship in 13 years, and for the program, that win against Charleston was worth the whole season.
But in the first half, Davidson still came out on fire, showing they could hang with the feisty Cocks as equals. For the throng of Wildcat faithful in the stands, the opening minutes offered plenty to shout about.
Though the home team dominated in shooting, 11 to 1, the ’Cats owned a solid amount of possession, working the ball down for a few offensive strikes. Two Allison Drutchas ’11 corner kicks offered the most thrilling chances for a Davidson score, but the forwards couldn’t find clear shots at the net.
After South Carolina snagged its first goal of the game in the 30th minute off an unstoppable shot from outside the box, both Davidson fans and players braced for the onslaught. But for the next 20 minutes, at least, it never came. Much credit is due to keeper Jessie Baxa ’12, who posted a slew of six saves in the half. As the first buzzer sounded, the ’Cats held tight down 1-0.
Within a few fleeting minutes of the second half, the Cocks’ competitive edge came out in full force. With the Davidson D halting their advances at the box, they ripped impressive shots from 30 yards out. Between minutes 52 and 56, South Carolina notched 3 goals to put the game away.
Even in those trying moments, the ’Cats looked like they were playing the game with passion. Down a daunting tally of goals, they maintained the tenacity and intensity of the first 10 minutes and gave the crowd a show for all it was worth. In doing so, Davidson earned the program a load of respect from one of the country’s top teams.
At the closing whistle, the players had no reason to complain. It was a hard-fought game, for sure, but it merely capped off the hardest fought season of their careers. Against the odds of a 3-8 record at the end of September, the squad blew nearly every opponent off the field. And revenge against Charleston, the team’s only loss in October, was sweet.
This year’s seniors will surely be missed. Kyri Bye-Nagel ’10 and Blakely Low ’10 led the team in points, with 21 and 16 apiece, and Lauren Conner ’10 followed closely behind with 11.
Courtney Hart ’10, Sophie Funderburk ’10 and Katharine Laco ’10 leave key spots to fill at midfield, while Suzanne Sittko ’10 departs with an impressive resume up front. Loring Ward ’10, who wrapped up Friday night’s game in goal, finished an 840-minute season with a 69% save tally.
The seniors also leave behind a tradition and reputation on which the younger players can only expect to capitalize. Drutchas, Callan Elswick ’11 and Amanda Flink ’11 represent a star-studded junior trio that notched 21 points between them. The Drutchas-Flink combo connected for the game-winning overtime goal in the SoCon championship.
In the coming years, the players and coaches won’t care to remember the score of the South Carolina game. Importantly, they did something no one had done before them, and the program has everything to gain from their fantastic achievement.
# 8 Gamecocks finally tame ’Cats in NCAA Tournament
John Morgan
Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Updated: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
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