Bulldog Women's Soccer Falls to CMS in SCIAC Action

Photo credit: Paige Erlanger
Photo credit: Paige Erlanger

While competing on Farquhar Field for the final time this regular season, the University of Redlands women's soccer team suffered a tough 0-2 loss to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges on Wednesday night in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action.

The Athenas went on the attack early with three quick shots to open the game. It took a combined effort to stop the most dangerous of the three, as junior goalkeeper Brittany Dinkins (Renton, WA) was forced off her line to make contact with the ball. The ball trickled past her and rolled towards an empty net, but sophomore defender Abby Nordquist (Gig Harbor, WA) hustled back to clear it out of contention.

CMS kept the pressure on with a number of shots, but many flew off target, either high or wide. The Bulldogs had their chances as well, with their strongest attempt of the half coming in the 32nd minute. After junior forward Gabby Hart (Sammamish, WA) entered the ball from the right flank, it slipped through traffic in front of the net. From the top of the box, junior forward Bryn Anderson (Tahoe City, CA) emerged to fire off a shot that glided high.

The Bulldogs registered one more shot before the half that was blocked to send the teams into the break unscathed.

Once again, the Athenas began the frame with offense on the mind by registering two shots that went high and wide. Their third attempt connected in the 57th minute to force the Bulldogs into catch-up mode. A few minutes later, senior forward Hayley Romo (Port Orchard, WA) nearly answered with a solid blast, but it was saved by the Athenas' goalkeeper.

An unfortunate series of events followed, as CMS put a shot on goal that was initially saved by first-year goalkeeper Natalie Hubacz (Grass Valley, CA), who entered the game at the start of the second half. The ball ricocheted off of Hubacz in front of the goal for a CMS striker to send it home for a two-goal lead in the 67th minute.

As time wound down, the Maroon and Gray elevated its arsenal, with Hart and Romo each uncorking a shot. Senior forward Madison Mills (San Ramon, CA) also let loose on a blast that landed in the hands of the CMS goalkeeper but the Bulldogs' final push fell short. 

With the result, Redlands remains at the top of the SCIAC standings but now shares that spot with Pomona-Pitzer Colleges.

Redlands (9-5-2, 8-3-2) prepares for the regular-season finale on the road against Cal Lutheran University on Saturday, October 27, at 7 p.m.