ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University women's soccer team dropped their first match of the season, falling to visiting Centre College by the score of 1-0.
"If there's something we can take away from today, it's that we played with a fire that hasn't always been there yet this season," said head coach Gary Boughton, "It's a loss and we have high standards, but we proved a bit about ourselves that I hope we take forward."
The Colonels put the Thunder on the back foot to start the game. They had a scoring chance just over a minute into the contest but put the shot wide of the mark. Then in the sixth minute they earned a corner kick. After the cross landed in the goalie area a jumping header gave the team a 1-0 lead over Trine.
They kept up that pressure for the next 20 minutes, before the Thunder finally found a counterattack. Sophomore Abby Robison got it started with the team's first shot of the day, followed quickly by junior Bella Mabry. Freshman Samantha Sanderlin would finally put a shot on goal in the 30th minute of the half.
By the time the team's headed to intermission the pace had become much more balanced. Centre finished the half with ten shots to Trine's seven and both teams had three shots on goal.
After an early push by the Colonels, it was the Thunder that posted the first scoring chance of the second half. The offense worked the ball up the middle of the field finding sophomore Andi Lipic behind the defense at the top of the penalty area. She fired a shot that bounced off of the crossbar and landed just in front of the net. Mabry tried to control the ball for a second shot at net but ended up firing wide.
The sequence ended up being the best chance for a goal by Trine and defense would rule through the rest of the contest. The Thunder ended the half with a slight edge in shots, 5-4, and with the only shot on goal, but neither team found the back of the net and the game ended 1-0 in favor of the visitors.
Trine falls to 1-1-3 following the loss. They will continue their season when they host Franklin College on Wednesday, September 13. The game, which is set to be played on Weaver Field, is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.