WILLIAMSTOWN - The Jumbo Women's Soccer team suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Williams College Ephs on Sunday afternoon, 1-0.
The Jumbos came in unbeaten with a record of 4-0 on Sunday, without having trailed for a single second all season. However, the 2-2 Williams came to play with a purpose, as their one goal proved to be all they needed to knock off the Jumbos.
Both teams were playing back-to-back days, having each played yesterday afternoon. The first half was mostly a defensive battle, with each team having a few scoring chances early on. Hayley Bernstein started in net for the Jumbos, as has been the case in each of the first four games of the season. She was able to stave off all of the Ephs scoring chances except for one, making five saves in the half.
The first and only goal of the game was scored by Blakely Buckingham, which came in the 36th minute. The scoring sequence began with a Williams corner kick, taken by Sam Phan. The ball was bounced around in the box, and eventually it would find Buckingham who smashed it into the back of the net for the goal.
As the second half began, Tufts came out firing. The Jumbos set up several opportunities for themselves in the first few minutes alone, and dominated the pace of the game for the entirety of the second half. The best scoring chance of the day came when Casey Lam set up a beautiful play that looked destined to be a goal for Lily Keiderling. However, Eph goalkeeper Leyla Kamshad made the play of the day on a terrific diving save to her right, stopping the line drive shot from Keiderling. That shot was followed up with two more saves within the minute, both coming off the foot of Tufts forward Nicola Sommers.
Kamshad was undoubtedly the hero of the day for Williams. She had 10 saves in the net and also covered up many more loose balls on chances where the Jumbos were threatening.
The Ephs led in total shots over the Jumbos, as they had 19 shots as opposed to Tufts' 18. The Jumbos had more shots on goal with 10 as opposed to the Ephs' eight. The Ephs had more corner kicks, five, than Tufts, who had four. Bernstein and Kaelin Logue combined for seven stops in the Tufts goal (5 for Bernstein, 2 for Logue).
The 4-1 Jumbos (3-1 NESCAC) will look to bounce back next Saturday, as they take on Hamilton College at 11 am in New York. The 3-2, 2-1 Ephs look to stay hot and win their third in a row as they also play at 11 am next Saturday at Colby College.
Written by Lucas Wlodarczyk, Athletic Communications Intern
