Chris Jordan | Echo
The women's soccer team came home with a tough 4-1 loss on Tuesday to conference rival Grace College.
After losing to Huntington last week, the Trojans hoped to bounce back with a win on the road at Grace on Tuesday afternoon. The matchup between the two Crossroads League teams was competitive, but Taylor found themselves up against a very prepared Grace team.
The Lancers started the game with a goal in the first six minutes. By the end of the first half, they were able to tack on one more, securing a 2-0 lead. The Trojans looked to answer in the second half but could not find a way back into the game.
"We were badly outplayed in every aspect," said head coach Scott Stan. "They shut down our offense and put on a lot of pressure."
The Lancers held the Trojans to five total shots, a sharp contrast to Taylor's average of 20 shots a game. Taylor forward senior Molly Drooger, the nation's leading scorer, was held to only three shots. The Lancers also attempted 12 shots on goal, four of which found the back of the net.
Taylor remained scoreless until the final minute of play, when junior Amanda Roden fired a shot off a rebound to score with only two seconds left on the clock.
After a successful early schedule of difficult non-conference games, the Trojans emerged with a record of 7-1. The Trojans have now lost their second consecutive Crossroads League matchup, putting them in last place in the conference with a record of 0-2.
With nine freshmen on the roster, the team has had to adjust and learn how to handle these games as they face their first struggles of the season.
Despite this rough patch, Stan remains positive that the Trojans will return to the success they saw earlier in the season. With phenomenal senior leadership in Christi Dithrich, Drooger, Stephanie Kerstan and Anna Mercaldo, the Trojans are in good hands.
Stan also highlighted junior goalkeeper Kristiana Griffith as a key player and leader on the team.
"We don't know what's going on exactly," Stan said about the Trojans' performance. "We're going to get this fixed and improve the team."
The Trojans will look to win their first Crossroads League match at 7 p.m. this Saturday on the road at St. Francis. The Trojans are .500 in all-time wins and losses against St. Francis.
Photography by Timothy P. Riethmiller
