August 23, 2016

DC Soccer Opens 2016 with Win

Tough pressure, great passing lead to easy victory

Box Score

Donaldson, Indiana – The Delta College Women's soccer team traveled to Ancilla College on Wednesday to begin the 2016 soccer season with an MCCAA conference game against the Ancilla Chargers.  The Pioneers controlled the game early by applying constant and heavy pressure on offense and with 17 minutes to go in the first half scored their first goal to go up 1-0.  Kaitlyn Begley battled for a ball in the penalty box and drove a hard shot into the top right corner of the goal for the score. 

Five minutes later, Lexi Traver would drive the ball deep to the end line and find Aleisha Jones waiting in the center of the goal area who then volleyed the ball into the corner of the goal to put DC up 2-0.  Ancilla continued to struggle to cross midfield offensively while the Pioneers continued to send shots on goal.  The pressure once again paid off as with less than three minutes to play in the half, Taylor Farrand sent a perfect pass to Paige Renshaw who was then able to beat the Ancilla keeper one-on-one and find the lower corner for her first collegiate goal. 
 

Within minutes, Renshaw would return the favor to Farrand when she sent a lofted ball from a deep cross and Farrand sent a well-placed shot past the keeper to earn her first collegiate goal and put Delta up 4-0 at the half. 

Both Teams made adjustments at halftime but Delta committed to continue to possess the ball and use high pressure defense to win the ball back immediately.  Kaitlyn Begley would get her second goal of the game when she collected a ball in the midfield and put a 30 yard lofted shot over the arms of the Ancilla keeper to end the scoring at 5-0.
 

"As impressive as these five goals that were scored today are, the most impressive thing for us was the way the girls played together as a team," said co-coach, Paul Stenglein.  "Their passing was outstanding and the compressive defensive pressure was amazing." 

"This was a great win for our team today and it showed the girls that their hard work and attention to the details make a huge difference."
 

Delta next plays at Lake Michigan College on Saturday before opening up the home portion of their schedule on Wednesday versus defending league champion Schoolcraft College.