With the season winding down to its final week and a playoff spot up for grabs in the last game of the year, the Swarthmore women’s soccer team took a moment last Saturday to look back even as it was taking a step toward the postseason. During a 9-1 non-conference beatdown of the CCNYBeavers, the Garnet recognized the five members of the Class of 2012 who were playing their last match on Clothier Field, Swarthmore’s home turf.
Goalie Marie Mutryn, forward Hannah Deming, defender Sam Song and midfielders Alyssa Bowie and Emily Coleman were together in the starting lineup for the first time this season. After the rout, the five seniors were honored in a Senior Day ceremony in front of a Homecoming Weekend crowd of over 300.
“It was definitely a feel-good win,” Coleman said. “I think the last home game was bittersweet for the seniors. We’ve had a great time over the four years playing together, so it was sad to play together for the last time at home, but it was nice honoring the careers we’ve had.”
“Our teammates made it very special for us,” Deming said, who scored the first goal of the game. “It was nice to end on a win.”
The on-field domination was about as thorough as it could have been, giving the Garnet a margin of victory unlike any other this season. Swarthmore scored five times in the first half and four in the second, outshooting CCNY by a 46-2 margin. Deming’s opening goal came in just the second minute of play, and Swarthmore already had a two-goal advantage before the Beavers managed to take their first shot.
Emma Sindelar ’15 scored twice, running her team-leading goals tally to nine, and Bowie, Megan Brock ’14, Ari Spiegel ’13, Amy DiPierro ’15, Rehanna Omardeen ’15 and Amber Famigletti ’14 also found the back of the net. Mutryn was barely tested in her 45 minutes in goal, and Beth Martin ’13 took over at the half, finishing out the win for Swarthmore.
On Wednesday, the Garnet bested Bryn Mawr by a 2-0 score. The win featured yet another goal by Sindelar, a second-half goal by Aly Passanante ‘14, and a four-save first start of the year in the net from Katie Sipiora ‘14, who is returning from a hand injury that sidelined her for much of the season.
The victory was the Garnet’s fourth in a row and eleventh of the year. The team has already surpassed its win total from last season, and the win against Bryn Mawr tied the 2010 team’s Centennial Conference win total. Swarthmore is battling with Franklin & Marshall and Haverford for a spot in the playoffs, setting up maximum stakes for the season-ending showdown with the Fords.
“Our past few wins have proven that we have the ability to possess the ball throughout the field and finish on our opportunities in front of the goal,” Song said, who hopes to experience the playoffs for the third time in her career at Swarthmore. “It’s important that we continue our focus throughout the last two conference games of the regular season.”
“We are definitely confident about the way we’ve been playing not only in games, but in practices as well,” Coleman agreed.
“Hopefully, we’ll keep up the good work, because at the level we’re playing, we should be very successful in the tournament.”
The Garnet will travel for the final game of the season on Saturday to take on Haverford.
Play is set to begin at noon.
