Box Score
The Lady Bruins would be without two primary scorers on Thursday night as 2016 All-American Abby Davis and newcomer Mikayla Rajcan were sidelined due to injury. It showed as the Bruins offense struggled to be effective in the attacking third as the team fell to Southern Wesleyan University 4-1 in Central, South Carolina.
"SWU has a very strong team this year," Bruins Head Coach Chris Carmichael said. "I thought we matched up with them well for parts of the game and I thought overall we played well despite the score."
The Bruins were coming off a 3-0 loss in their season opener last week and the team was looking to find their way into the winning column as they took the pitch at Childs Field.
It was a quick start for the Bruins as they were able to push the ball ahead with Kaitlyn Hummel gaining two shots on frame in the opening 10 minutes of play. The team was able to control pace and looked like they would be the first to score. The Warriors had other plans as Kayla Doyle fed the ball to Helen Schweiger who finished the play as SWU took a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute of play.
As the first half was drawing to a close, the Bruins looked for the equalizer. Their pressure ahead allowed the Warriors to take advantage on a counter play as Rachel Curtis scored just before the break to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Bruins came out looking to claw their way back into the game. The team had a few chances offensively, but struggled to maintain a consistent attack. The Warriors added to their lead in the 60th minute as Rachel Curtis scored her second goal of the match to put SWU up 3-0. From there, the Bruins pushed the ball ahead as Anna Daulton had several chances on frame. Despite the effort, the Bruins couldn't break through and score.
The Warriors came back on the attack and in the 85th minute of play they put the game out of reach as Ally Kisiel scored to give the Warriors a 4-0 advantage. The Bruins refused to quit as the team was determined to close out the match strong. They pushed the ball ahead into the attacking third where the Warriors were called for a foul just outside the box. Ally Jenkins bent a looping cross which was tipped by the Warriors goalkeeper. Lauren Foushee was there for the rebound as she headed in the goal to prevent the shutout. Still, it wasn't enough as the Bruins fell 4-1.
"I was proud of the team as they never gave up and pressed hard those last ten minutes to get a goal," Coach Carmichael said. "If we can press that way for a full 90 minutes we'll have a successful season. In past years, it has taken us a few games to get going and I am confident we'll step up big over the next few matches."
The Warriors outshot the Bruins in the match 21-15. Jessica Baun made 5 saves on the night for the Bruins while Lauren Foushee recorded her first goal of the season and the first for the team in two games. Next up, the Bruins will be on the road again as they battle Montreat College on Saturday night in Montreat, North Carolina.
