With a 1-0 win against Lehigh, the Colgate women’s soccer team has rebounded from their 0-2 loss against Boston University. At the beginning of the season, several players on the team cited BU as one of their toughest opponents, saying how critical beating them would be. BU is the team that knocked the Raiders out of the Patriot League Tournament last year, and Colgate was hoping to retaliate last week.  The weather definitely affected the Raiders’ performance as they had to battle through heavy rain and strong winds. After two first-half goals, BU was able to hold onto their lead for the remainder of the match.  

The Raiders were able to bring back their high level of play in the match against Lehigh with senior captain Caroline Brawner scoring the only goal a mere 11 seconds into the second half. Although they won the match, head coach Kathy Brawn had some remarks on the game. 

“We were doing some really good things in the first half, but some of the details weren’t there,” Coach Brawn said. “The passes were the right ideas, but they were slightly off, and we didn’t quite have the rhythm to the play that we wanted.” 

If there is one thing that the Colgate women’s soccer team has done well this season, it is their passing. The win against Lehigh is great, but the Raiders still need to focus on bringing their level of play up to where it was prior to the loss against Boston.

It is critical that the Raider’s regain their momentum and head into their last regular season game against American University with some energy.  A final win could really boost their morale going into the Patriot League tournament. American is currently ranked last in the Patriot League, so this Saturday’s game should be an easy win. 

“We really just want to keep getting better and not be satisfied with what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. We want to keep building on the good things but really eliminate some of the things that aren’t going exactly as we want,” Coach Brawn said. 

This sentiment has been echoed by many of the players throughout the season, and the Raiders have been successful in following this mentality. They have pushed themselves and tested their limits, resulting in a 13 game unbeaten streak. The Raiders know what they are capable of, and it is likely they will demonstrate that in the Patriot League tournament. With such a great season behind them, it would be unfortunate for the Raiders to lose against American University and go into the Patriot League tournament with less confidence.

As the Raiders’ regular season comes to a close with just one game left on the schedule, they end a remarkable season. They have developed substantially since last year, and the first-years have definitely been positive additions to the team. Hopefully they can continue their success and bring home a Patriot League title.