Lady Hens lose second straight, fourth in CAA

It was a cold, wet Sunday when the Delaware women’s soccer team lost their second consecutive conference game to Northeastern University, 2-0, at Delaware Mini Stadium. The Hens are now 7-6 on the season, including a 4-2 mark in CAA action.

Northeastern controlled the pace of play throughout the contest. The Huskies outshot the Hens 14-7 and earned seven corner kicks to Delaware’s four. Northeastern came out strong, as they tested Hens’ junior goalkeeper Jessica Levy early with shots in the eighth and 14th minute.

Levy subdued Northeastern’s early pressure, but Delaware’s defense did not hold up for much longer. In the 25th minute, Huskies’ freshman midfielder Shayna Blackwood found the ball at her feet after a corner kick. She put the shot on the near post, and it crept into the back of the net for her first career goal.

Northeastern would strike again just 12 minutes later, as senior forward Greta Samuelsdottir curved in a ball from 40 yards out on the far right side of the field. It was not clear whether Samuelsdottir was attempting to shoot the ball or cross it into her offensive box. Levy said she misplayed the ball.

 “The second goal was just one mistake we made on defense,” Levy said. “I may not have not played it the right way. I was playing it more for a cross and it was more of a ‘shross,’ as we call it.”

Delaware entered halftime down two goals. Despite a lack of offensive production in the first half, the Hens threatened Northeastern on several occasions as the game progressed.

With 16 minutes remaining in the contest, Hens’ freshman midfielder Emily Market broke free of the Huskies’ defense and found herself with the ball and no defenders between her and the net. However, Market lost control of the ball and it was corralled by Northeastern goalkeeper Paige Burnett.

In the 80th minute, Delaware senior midfielder Melissa Pennington missed out on another opportunity right in front of the goal. The Hens would finish the game scoreless for the third time this season.

Hens’ senior forward Ali Miller said she was frustrated at how the game played out. Miller entered Sunday’s contest having scored five goals in the last four games. However, she could not dig the Hens out of their early two-goal deficit.

“It was a wet day, it was slippery,”  Miller said. “Deflections, anything that could have gone our way didn’t go our way, and we didn’t find the back of the net when we had the opportunity to. It was just a frustrating day.”

Despite entering the weekend with a 4-0 record in CAA play, Delaware has now lost two consecutive matchups. The team now sits in fourth place in the conference. The Hens have four games remaining on their schedule, including home matchups against William & Mary and Old Dominion.

Delaware head coach Scott Grzenda was not too disconcerted by losing to a Northeastern squad that entered Sunday’s contest with a 4-8 record.

“It’s the same game, it’s the same teams,” Grzenda said. “We still have to win the maximum amount of games we can. We lose two then win the rest, and everyone says we had the greatest season ever. Until the end of the year, you don’t know.”