PHILADELPHIA, PA. 10/7/2018 – This season for the Drexel Dragons women’s soccer team has a constant. They play close games. Of their fourteen games, two games have a differential greater than one goal. Those games have been decided by two goals. The Dragons came out on the winning end of a two-goal differential defeating the Blue Hen’s of Delaware 2 – 0 at Vidas Field.
Lauren Currey and Shaelyn McCarty scored for Drexel, Currey in the 37th minute and McCarty, her team-leading 7th of the season, with 25 seconds on the clock. The two goals represents the team’s highest offensive output. Goal Keeper Libby Baeza turned away three shots on goal to record her fifth shutout of the year.
“We are a strong defensive team and not a lot is scored against us,” said McCarty.
Drexel plays a defensive style. They give up an average of .93 goals per game. Baeza has a .827 goals against average. Coach Ray Goon appreciates how his team works on that end of the field.
“Our trademark as a program is defense,” said Goon. “Defense is a willingness to work hard. The players understand that and we focus on that.”
Scoring wise the Dragons average .93 goals as well which makes defense very important. But persistence on offense is there.
“We are getting opportunities and keep working hard for the next opportunity,” said Goon.
The mindset showed in this game as the clock wound down with Drexel holding a slim 1 – 0 lead. They kept the ball in the Delaware end, hit a post, then broke through for the insurance goal in the 90th minute.
‘We’ve got to play to the end, and we got rewarded,” Goon said.
With the win Drexel improves to 5 – 5 -4 overall and is 2 – 3 in the CAA. The outcome of this game puts the Dragons into a tie for 6th place with UNCW in the conference, the team that defeated Drexel 1 – 0 on Thursday. The top six will compete in the conference tournament.
“This is a game we should be able to win, and if you don’t are you a playoff team?” Goon said. “We are.”
The next game is scheduled for Thursday at 6 PM vs. the Pride of Hofstra who are currently tied for third place in the CAA. The Dragons won this game and need a win in the next one. It will have impact on the team getting to post-season play.
“It is crucial considering how we started in the CAA,” McCarty said. “It’s not going to be handed to us. We have confidence going forward.”
Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com
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