There were several factors that made Friday afternoon not exactly an ideal day for playing soccer.
After waiting out a 45-minute rain delay, the Lady Eagles took to a flawed field to open their season with a 1-0 win over Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, Md.
Yet it wasn't the win Head Coach Michael Brady was looking for.
"Obviously we're always happy to start the season with a win, but the reality is we didn't play that fantastically well," Brady said.
Hard to believe, since the Eagles out shot their rivals almost three to one, had four corner kicks, compared to the opposing team's zero, were able to snuff out a Mountaineer offensive surge late in the game, and came away with a victory.
But the game didn't follow the team's remarkable preseason streak. Friday's match-up was a game that Brady thought they "clearly dominated" and tallying one goal wasn't up to par.
The lone goal came off the boot of sophomore midfielder Marcela Ricupero in the 36th minute. Ricupero collected a left-sided cross from senior Anabel Jimenez in the box and swiftly knocked the ball into the net to capture the lead.
That lead was then protected during the second half by freshman goalkeeper Alison Doyle in her debut performance.
Doyle was joined on the field by eight other freshmen, who are fixtures on the team. The rookies were able to get off four of the team's shots and prevent a goal.
"They have already established themselves as players and they play with maturity," Brady said about the freshmen.
The Eagles will open their season at home on Saturday at 4 p.m. against Princeton.
