KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College women's soccer team opened the 2023 season at MacKenzie Field against Ohio Wesleyan. The Battling Bishops scored the game's first goal early on a penalty kick, but the Hornets battled back to put away the equalizer in the 1-1 tie.
Kalamazoo returned nine of their 11 starters from last season, but the starting lineup had a different look to open the 2023 campaign. Maddie Coffman, Ellie Andrews, Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci, Anna Murphy, Elle Bernas, Holly Bowling, and Destiny Garcia were all in the starting lineup after seeing significant playing time in 2022. Elana Mitchell got her first start as goalkeeper in her second season as a Hornet, Olivia DePauli started her first game back after studying abroad last fall, and newcomers Izzy Kastel and Ruby Hogan joined the starting eleven.
The first goal by Ohio Wesleyan came early on as Kalamazoo committed a foul on the right edge of the box. Jaelyn Dodson stepped up and buried the attempt in the lower left-hand corner as Mitchell dove the opposite way. Kalamazoo tried to come out and establish some physicality as the Hornets committed 12 fouls in the first 45 minutes compared to the Battling Bishops' six. That ended up paying off as their physicality forced a corner kick, which resulted in the tying goal in the 31st minute. Hogan took the corner kick from the right side and put a cross into the middle of the box and right in front of the goal. After subbing on in the 24th minute, newcomer Callie Abair was able to get the top of her head on the ball, which directed it to DePauli by the back post. DePauli deposited the goal inside the left post for her first career goal, and Abair was credited for her first career point on the assist.
The heat was forcing a lot of subs to be used and the game was back-and-forth in the second half. Nine shots were taken in the half, seven by the Battling Bishops and two by the Hornets, but none found their way to the back of the net. After surrendering a goal on the first shot seen this season, Mitchell settled in to make six saves and preserve the 1-1 tie for Kalamazoo.
Ohio Wesleyan held advantages in shots (10-4) and corner kicks (4-3), while the Hornets finished with more saves (6-1) and fouls (14-12).
Kalamazoo will be back in action with another home game tomorrow (Sept. 2) at MacKenzie Field, beginning at 5 p.m., against the Milwaukee School of Engineering.