by Robert Youngs, Jr.
Working toward a berth in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament, the Kalamazoo College women's soccer team used a solid effort in defeating Olivet, 4-0 on Tuesday.
Both teams spent the first 10 minutes looking for an advantage through midfield, each attempting to find the pass that would open up the other team's back line. Until they found a way into the box, K would need to play solid defensively, and did.
"Olivet's really organized, and doesn't make it easy," said Hornets' head coach Bryan Goyings.
Senior midfielder Maya Smolcic ended a promising Olivet attack in the 13th minute with a stout tackle of the ball just outside the Kalamazoo penalty area. Four minutes later, sophomore defender Jenna Sexton drew a Comets foul when she was landed on after winning a ball with a header.
Senior forward Jackie Short finally opened up the Hornets' stat sheet for the evening by registering a shot on net in the 21st minute. Olivet responded by servicing twice in the 24th and 25th minutes, but neither chance threatened to be scored.
Finally able to press the Olivet back line into the 18-yard box, K lit the scoreboard on a goal from sophomore midfielder Rachel Dandar (Sexton assist). Dandar, who celebrated by jumping for joy at the edge of the box, sent the shot over and to the right of a diving Deanna Zolnoski, the Comets' keeper.
Dandar's second career goal and first career game winner put the Hornets ahead, 1-0.
Senior midfielder Emily Gray constituted the next legitimate chances for Kalamazoo, sending a shot wide in the 41st minute, sending a free kick just over the bar in the 44th, and shooting point blank at the Comets goal in the 45th, but it was blocked.
"To go into halftime with a goal, I thought that was really big," said Goyings. "Rachel's worked hard the last couple of games, and she hasn't really appeared on the score sheet, so it was really good to get that."
"It was definitely a beautiful goal for her," Goyings added. "I'm happy for her."
After half, Kalamazoo busted things wide open.
The Hornets put two shots high and wide, respectively, before senior forward C.J. McCarthy turned on a rolling pass from Short inside the penalty area and booted it with her left foot over a leaping Zolnoski in what was arguably the highlight of the night to push the score line to 2-0.
Two minutes later, Kalamazoo fans in attendance were treated to some more excitement as senior midfielder Natalie Reszka sent a rolling free kick through the penalty area and into the net to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead.
Reszka's goal came shortly off of her selection as MIAA Offensive Player of the Week last week, as she collected two goals and an assist in two league wins for K.
McCarthy put a shot high in the 57th minute on a back heel pass from Short, but it was sophomore forward Bjargey Olafsson giving the Hornets some extra breathing room, as she blasted a 79th minute goal into the top of the net on an assist from junior forward Sam Voss.
Freshman keeper Lucy Mailing kept the Comets out of the net with a leaping effort to smack the ball away with her left hand in the 82nd minute. Mailing finished with four saves in the shutout.
"I thought, in the second half, we did well connecting passes," said Goyings. "Certainly, it's great to get goals out of the midfield, as well."
"When we started connecting passes, I thought we had some great combinations," he added.
The Hornets put six of 14 shots on target, with McCarthy putting two of three on frame.
With the victory, Kalamazoo improves to 10-5-2 overall and 8-4-2 in MIAA action.
"Every point is valuable, so to get three points tonight, we know we can't overlook anybody," Goyings said. "We're going to take the points, but as long as we can keep winning, that's going to be really important to us."
Kalamazoo will host Calvin on Oct. 25 under the lights at MacKenzie Field for Senior Night. The league slate will be wrapped up with an Oct. 31 trip to St. Mary's (Ind.).