A shutout weekend for tigers
By: Desmond Boyle, Contributing Writer
The Tigers posted two solid results over the weekend winning by scorelines of 2-0 and 1-0 over Fairfield University and Iona College respectively.
On Friday in Fairfield, Connecticut, the Tigers won on two goals from first-time goal scorers. Freshman forward Katie Fullerton scored an opportunistic opener after Evelyn Neidert sent a ball over the top of the Stag defense.
One Fairfield defender crashed directly into their own goalkeeper before Fullerton chased down the ball and scored into an empty net. Towson doubled its lead as one Tiger player was dragged down in the Stag penalty area, prompting the referee to point to the spot. Senior defender Vasthy Delgado then converted the penalty ripping the shot past Fairfield goalie Jenna Pike.
The second half was a more even contest as Towson’s junior goalkeeper Taylor Sebolao made five saves to preserve the shutout for the Tigers. The Tigers defensive dominance continued into their next game, a clash with Iona in New Rochelle, New York. The Gaels struggled to contain the Tigers attack throughout the first half as Towson outshot Iona six to three. Towson was consistently accurate landing five of those six shots on target.
Against the run of play, however, Iona created the best chance of the opening half in the 40th minute as Charlotte Stuart lashed a shot past Sebolao only to be denied by the left post.
The game remained scoreless until just before the 70th minute as Marissa Green launched an inch perfect pass over the Gael defense to link up with pacey Junior Natalia Pikney who collected the past before chipping the ball over the keeper to notch her third goal of the season, already tying her career high for goals in one season.
Towson then locked up defensively to maintain their third consecutive shutout of the season. After starting the season 0-2-1, Junior midfielder Emily Marshall credited team chemistry for the Tigers turnaround.
“We have great team chemistry,” Marshall said. “We have done a great job of coming together and all of us, including the non-starters, playing for each other.”
Sebolao focused on the team experience as the reason for the recent shutouts.
“Having two seniors start with a lot of experience in our defence has really helped us because they stress a no shot mentality,” Sebolao said.
The New Jersey native shot stopper also mentioned the importance of the timing for the turnaround.
Towson has four more games, starting with Mount St. Mary’s this Friday in Catonsville, Maryland, at 5 p.m. before continuing their playoff push with the all-important CAA conference games on Sept. 25.
