Shaw scores again, but Holy Cross can’t complete the comeback

The Holy Cross College women’s soccer team entered their game on Wednesday in high spirits after a thrilling last-second goal by freshman defender Abigail Fouts against Indiana East on Saturday. The Saints looked to build on this momentum in a road match in Goshen, Indiana, against the undefeated Goshen College Maple Leafs.

The Maple Leafs came out on the attack and took three shots on goal in the first 16 minutes of play at the Ingold Complex. Goshen then opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Katie Sauder scored her first goal of the season off an assist from Seja Lang.

Despite an early deficit, the Saints stayed determined to bounce back. The team quickly marched down the field in two minutes and eight seconds and responded with a goal from senior midfielder Olivia Shaw. Shaw continued her hot start to the campaign with the goal, her third in four games this season. She stayed very active throughout the remainder of the game, tallying five shots on goal.

Despite the goal by Shaw, the Maple Leafs also refused to be rattled. Madalyne Swallow, who was substituted into the game just a mere five minutes earlier, entered the scoring party with her first goal of the season in the 29th minute. Midfielder Amy Drew recorded the assist.

From there, the rest of the first half became a defensive battle. Holy Cross managed only one shot on goal during the final 15 minutes of the frame. The two teams played to a standstill for the rest of the game. Both goalkeepers, Holy Cross freshman Payton Ladson and Goshen’s Victoria Naylor, did not let another ball hit the back of the net for the rest of the game. The teams ended the game with nearly identical numbers of shots, saves and fouls.

The Saints did have three shots on goal in the final 10 minutes of the game. But Naylor came up big for the Maple Leafs down the stretch, saving all three of them to secure the win for Goshen. 

With the loss, the Saints fall back to .500 at 2-2-0 on the year. Goshen, meanwhile, improved to an impressive 3-0-0. Holy Cross will get a week of rest before returning to the field to face Lourdes (1-0-0) on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. from South Bend.