Tigers beat Wildcats in shutout

By: Desmond Boyle, Contributing Writer

The Tigers put in a solid team effort for all 90 minutes in a physical 1-0 win over the Villanova Wildcats.

The first half was a back and forth affair as both teams created chances at either end of the pitch.

Villanova moved the ball well through the center of the field before distributing the ball to both flanks. Villanova registered an impressive 15 shots, mostly crosses coming from out wide that resulted in headers on goal.

Towson’s junior goalkeeper Taylor Sebolao was up to the task all day, saving all nine of Villanova’s shots on target.

The Wildcats were the more direct of the two teams, taking more shots from outside the area as the game progressed.

Sebolao made some outstanding and acrobatic saves to maintain the shutout, like a high arced audacious attempt from Villanova midfielder Hayley Wilson.

The shot-stopper from Scotch Plains, New Jersey also helped control the penalty area with composed decision making.

Towson’s build up play from the center of the field was slightly slower, and the Tigers produced less shots, totaling 10 throughout the afternoon.

Junior Natalia Pinkey was Towson’s main threat providing pace on both sides of the pitch to open up the play. Freshman Kate Fullerton put in a solid effort off the bench to help compliment the attacking efforts of seniors Hollie Garber and Erin Kelly.

The lone breakthrough of the game came with 30 seconds left in the first half as the Wildcats failed to properly clear Evelyn Neidert’s looped cross, and Pinkey was first to react to the loose ball and calmly put the ball past Wildcat goalie Emma Meyer.

Pinkey attributed her second goal to being able to keep her focus during the game.

“In college soccer the one thing I’ve noticed is that if you lose your focus for one second the easiest shot can be messed up, so it’s really important to keep calm,” she said.

Towson will look to build on the momentum from their first win during their next contest, which will be Friday at 7 p.m. in Fairfield, Connecticut against Fairfield University.

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