MIT Soccer Scores One to Win

STAFF WRITER

After a scoreless first half, MIT made the only goal of this very defensive soccer game between the Lady Engineers and the Mount Holyoke Lyons, improving their record to 5-5-3 for the season.

Both teams began the game shakily, unable to maintain possession, but the Engineers quickly regained their composure and took control of the ball. MIT managed nine shots in the first half, with Lydia A. Helliwell ’05 and Juthica B. Mallela ’06 leading the charge.

Mount Holyoke’s opportunities to score were few and far between. On a punt upfield by Lyons goaltender Tiffany Picard, the Mount Holyoke offense managed to gain possession and take it down the field, but MIT fullback Ai-ris Yonekura ’05 recovered the ball with a tackle and dribbled through the Lyons forward line into Mount Holyoke territory.

In a play that was probably MIT’s best chance to take the lead in the first half, Mallela made a long pass up the field, and Diana K. Sterk ’06, showing impressive speed, beat three Mount Holyoke defenders to the ball. But her shot passed harmlessly to the right of the goal.

Shortly before halftime, Mount Holyoke drove the ball deep into Engineer territory, rallying for their best attack of the game. The offense controlled and passed the ball well, confounding the MIT defense for the first time, but seemed strangely hesitant to take a shot, even when completely open. By the time Mount Holyoke’s Karen Frost decided to shoot, the MIT defense was back on its feet and Yonekura dove in to make the stop and clear the ball from Tech territory.

The second half proceed much the same as the first. MIT controlled the ball for the majority of the half, with the Lyons only occasionally forcing the ball into MIT territory.

The Engineers missed an early opportunity to score when Andrea Staid ’07 forced the ball up to the net. Picard came out to challenge the attack but fell, leaving the goal open. In the ensuing scuffle, the Lyon defenders managed to clear the ball to the sides, averting the threat.

But the Engineers came right back at them. Fifty-eight minutes into the game, after another scuffle in front of the net, a Lyon defender tried to clear the ball by kicking it straight up the field, but instead placed it right in front of Mallela, who had been solid throughout the game at midfield. She settled the ball and booted a 25 yard pass up the field, just to the left of the goal to Meghan E. O’Kane ’06, who, without letting the ball touch the ground, tapped it lightly into the corner of the goal with a perfect touch.

Mount Holyoke spent the rest of the game trying to recover but came up short. MIT goaltender Katherine A. Vater ’07 (first in the conference in saves) was perfect, racking up her fourth shutout of the season, and the defense was impeccable, limiting Mount Holyoke to just six shots in the entire second half.

In spite of their impressive defense, MIT is inconsistent on offense, leading to a 1-3-1 conference record. They hope to improve this with a win against WPI on Tuesday, over whom they hold an 8-2 all-time record.