(STAUNTON, Va.) – The Wilson women's soccer team overcame an early deficit and scored a pair of goals in the second half to draw with Mary Baldwin on Wednesday afternoon. The Fighting Squirrels scored in just the fifth minute and carried that lead into halftime, but Wilson was able to return the favor in a similar fashion in the second half and equalized once again with 10 minutes remaining to force the tie.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 2, Mary Baldwin 2
Venue: SMA Worth Field
Records: Wilson 2-2-2, Mary Baldwin 4-1-1
How It Happened
- MBU put the pressure on early with a goal on its first shot of the game as Eve Diep found Joelle Hare just five minutes into the contest. The Fighting Squirrels fed off the momentum boost and remained on the attack for the bulk of the first half, outshooting the Phoenix 9-0 in the frame.
- The Blue and White were able to flip the script in the second half as Halley Shaffer (Sr., Sunbury, Pa. / Line Mountain) put the Phoenix on the board with their first shot of the game five minutes into the second half. Wilson nearly took the lead shortly after that, but shots from Shaffer and Kenzie Hermann (FY, Perkasie, Pa.) were both saved.
- Pressure soon mounted for the Phoenix again as the Squirrels tested the Wilson back line with shots in the 55th and 59th minutes before eventually scoring in the 60th. Mary Baldwin again kept threatening to score with five additional shots and four corner kicks, but the Phoenix didn't allow them to take advantage.
- That proved pivotal as Shaffer scored the equalizer once again to make it 2-2 in the 80th minute. From there both defenses came up big as Madison Ebersole (So., Big Pool, Md. / Clear Spring) stopped MBU from scoring a go-ahead goal with a save in the 86th while shots from Annie Smith (Jr., Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown) and Shaffer both required goalie assistance.
Inside The Numbers
- Shaffer's brace gives her six goals for the season and is her second brace of the season. It's the 19th time she's scored at least two goals in a game in her career.
- While Wilson was held off the shot chart in the first half, it responded well and kept it balanced in the second half with MBU holding an 11-8 advantage.
- Ebersole continued to be solid between the pipes as she made nine saves on the day. It's the fourth consecutive game she's made at least eight saves. She has at least nine saves in three of her last four games.
- The draw snapped a four-game win streak for Mary Baldwin who's only other non-victory result came in the opening game of the season.
Up Next
The Phoenix head back out on the road to take on King's College in Wilkes-Barre this Saturday at 5 p.m.
