The AU women’s soccer team struck back from Friday’s heartbreaking overtime loss with a 1-0 victory against the George Mason Patriots on Sept. 10 at Reeves Field.
However, the team lost goalie Charlene Belander, a junior, in the 43rd minute to a body injury. Junior keeper Sarah Dejak took over for Belanger, preserving the shutout.
“We have confidence in both our keepers so it wasn’t really a letdown, we just hope that Charlene gets back at it and they can continue to compete against each other,” head coach Anabel Jimenez Hering said.
The lone goal in this matchup came from freshman midfielder Marley Jennings. The ball bounced off the Mason goalpost, causing the Patriot goalie Lyndse Hokanson to dive off to the side leaving the goal unguarded. Jennings scored her first goal of the season with the rebound, assisted by freshman forward Michaela Garcia and freshman forward Hayley Mullins.
“We were really excited during our comeback effort in the La Salle game, but it feels really good to finish it off with a win today,” Jennings said.
Herings’ emphasis on discipline and responsibility showed throughout the game as the Eagles (1-4-0, 0-0-0 PL) outperformed and outhustled the Patriots (1-2-1,0-0-0 A10 ).
The Eagles outshot the Patriots 13-10 and both teams tallied four corner kicks. Dejak would ultimately be credited with the win, the first of the season for the Syracuse transfer.
It is unknown which goalie, Belanger or Dejak, will start the next game.
“We’re going to see how practice goes the next couple of days [and] we might split the weekend, give one game to one and the other to the next,” Hering said. “We’re confident with both of them, so it’s a matter of who works better with the back line, [and] who’s communicating better.”
AU’s next two games will be played away at Fairfield on Sept.13 and Hartford on Sept.15. The two road matches will be the Eagles final two nonconference games before opening Patriot League play against Lehigh Sept. 21 at Reeves Field.
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