KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College women's soccer team played their second straight game at MacKenzie Field to open the 2023 season against the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The Raiders scored two goals 40 seconds apart in the second half, but goals by the Hornets in the 76th and 89th minutes forced a 2-2 tie.
"I am extremely proud of the resilience displayed by the women these past two days, especially this evening," said Head Coach Bryan Goyings. "Being down 2-0 with under 15 minutes to play, it would have been easy to play out the final minutes, but the group was not about to quit."
The same 11 starters as last night's game were back in the starting lineup again today: Elana Mitchell, Maddie Coffman, Ellie Andrews, Olivia DePauli, Savera Rajendra-Nicolucci, Anna Murphy, Elle Bernas, Holly Bowling, Izzy Kastel, Ruby Hogan, and Destiny Garcia. The Hornets also rotated in 10 subs off the bench throughout the game.
Both teams were looking to settle in during the first half as the ball went back and forth in the midfield most of the time. There were a total of four shots taken and five corner kicks in the first 45 minutes as the game was knotted at zero heading into the locker room at the half.
The scoring started in the 65th minute as MSOE's Grace Quinn put a goal away after drawing Mitchell away from the goal. Then, 40 seconds later, Leena Afifi took a shot that deflected off Mitchell's hands and into the net for the 2-0 lead. Kalamazoo started forcing the issue more, being down by two goals. After forcing a corner kick, Sydney Hagaman put a cross into the box from the corner to the near post that glanced off Bernas' head and towards the back post for the goal. Then, with time winding down, Andrews got the ball back after throwing it in and sent another cross into the box from left to right that connected with Coffman's head for the game-tying goal. This was Coffman's first career goal as the senior spent her first three years primarily playing in the back line.
Coach Goyings added, "Elle Bernas had a superb finish off an excellent corner kick by Sydney Hagaman. Maddie Coffman battled in the midfield the entire evening, and it was great to see her find an equalizer in the final minute."
Mitchell ended the day with four saves on six opportunities. In a fairly even game, Kalamazoo held slight advantages in corner kicks (5-4), saves (4-3), and fouls (12-11), while both teams took seven shots a piece.
"The way the women played and competed for one another today was key to getting a result. It was an effort that will not soon be forgotten," said coach Goyings.
The Hornets will play the first of five straight road games in Ann Arbor against Concordia on Tuesday (Sept. 6), beginning at 5 p.m.