<ke of the flood, the Carleton Women’s Soccer team has created a storm of its own, wiping out any team that dares stand its path. They blew past their MIAC competition this week, finding the back of the net a total of nine times en route to wins over Hamline University and Macalester College.
On Saturday, heeding the warning about the Pipers’ alluring yet ill-fated music, Carleton pieced together a truly solid performance against Hamline. Missing head coach Keren Gudeman due to an unavoidable conflict, the Knights appeared unaffected and ready to battle with energetic Englishman and assistant coach Neil Cassidy at the helm. Once the action started, the team was able to possess in tight spaces, effectively switch the field, and capitalize on precious goal scoring opportunities.
The Knights’ first goal came 15 minutes into the match off of a quick counter at the midfield line. Sarah Hagerty ’13 ventured out of her normal domain at the center of the park and carried the ball down the right sideline. She then served it into the box to forward Marlena Hartman-Filson ’13 who expertly headed the ball past the Hamline keeper. This first score was followed by an onslaught of Knights’ shots, forcing the Hamline keeper to make seven first half saves with some critical help from the crossbar.
Hartman-Filson contributed again the Knights’ second goal early in the second half. Assisted by central midfielder Abby Wills ’12, she settled a long service out of the air behind the Pipers’ backline. Isolated one-on-one, Hartman-Filson kept her composure and slotted the ball into the lower corner to put Carleton up 2-0.
In the spirit the West Fields, Bell then opened its floodgates and the deluge of goals continued, sinking the Pipers to a 5-0 deficit. Goal number three came from left back Leigh-Anne Borkowski ‘11 who had been hungry to join the attack from the first minute. Having demonstrated on multiple occasions her ability to make extremely dangerous runs forward, Borkowski helped overwhelm Hamline’s defensive numbers and sprang on a poorly cleared ball near the top of the penalty area. After touching it around the first defender, the senior fullback smoked a shot into the Pipers’ netting, chalking up her first goal of the season.
Not two minutes later, Borkowski again won possession in the opposing 18, but this time laid it off to Hartman-Filson. The sophomore forward had timed her run perfectly and sent a left footed rocket past the near post, completing her first career hat trick.
But the Knights were not done yet! After a nasty foul committed by the Hamline defense just 22 yards out, Hagerty stepped up to the plate. With an assist and shot off the crossbar already under her belt, the Knights’ midfielder, unfazed by the five-player wall, was able to bend the ball over the top; the keeper barely had a chance to move before the shot hit the netting.
“I thought the team performed really well on Saturday,” Cassidy said of the game. “It truly was a team effort as everyone received some minutes and we did not skip a beat. It is a testament to how all of the players are preparing for game days.”
The following Tuesday was also a bad day to be a Carleton soccer opponent. The unfortunate Macalester Scots were on the receiving end of this goal scoring mania. Not four minutes had elapsed since the starting whistle and the scoreboard already read 2-0 in favor of the Knighs. Borkowski once again showed her attacking talent as she raced past her defenders down the left-sideline, cut inside at the opposite end line and found herself squared off with the Scots’ keeper. With a sure foot in front of the net, “Leigh-Animal” placed the ball into the far post side netting.
Keeping up with her recent pattern, Borkowski then returned the favor, assisting Niki Tomita ’12. The junior forward received the pass atop the 6-yard box, artfully touched the ball around the Mac keeper and finished it into the open net. After this rock solid three minutes and 10 seconds, the team settled into their style of possession and overall domination.
Hartman-Filson also shared in the spoils, starting the second half off with a bang from 25 yards. She ripped a ball that had spit out from the Scot’s 18 into the upper right corner of the goal. Operating under the alias “Dutch Dream,” the sophomore forward tallied her fourth goal in two games and seventh on the season.
To cap off the Knights’ scoring of the week, outside mid Lily Vanderstaay ’12 served up a corner kick on a silver platter for Liz Arakaki ’11. Arakaki needed only to redirect the ball into Mac’s exposed net, heading home her first goal of the season.
In total, the Knights’ created an astounding 59 shooting opportunities over the course of the two games and continue on their quest to defend their coveted MIAC championship title. The team hosts Saint Benedict tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.
