By Noah Nunez
General Reporter
The Owls celebrated Senior Day by riding a lead the entire match against St. Thomas Aquinas College 3-0 on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Jess Dow Field.
By the end of the first period, the university led the game with a staggering three goals scored, holding a 73% possession total by the end of the first half.
“As soon as we first scored, we just kept going with the momentum; that’s always what carries us every game,” forward and defender Bella LaPearl, a senior, said.
LaPearl assisted on two of the goals before the end of the first period.
Being a senior, LaPearl was happy to share the win with her teammates on this day of celebration, and to have it be such a successful game for the team was the exact reward they wanted.
“We felt good; we were really excited; we were really pumped up because it’s senior day, and we were just ready to play and get out there and move the ball,” LaPearl said.
The third and last goal of the first period was scored by forward Gigi Pena, a freshman, marking not only the first goal of her season but also the first goal of her career here at the university with an assist by LaPearl.
Pena cited the support of the team she has surrounded herself with on and off the field as what helped her throughout the game leading into the second half.
“Seeing how all the newcomers are adapting to everything, it’s been pretty easy because of such a welcoming team that we have,” Pena said. “The upperclassmen are always so welcoming and supportive, so it’s been really helpful.”
Reflecting on the conclusion of the game, Pena was happy to provide any support for the team as she did and was excited going into the game under the context of the senior celebration.
“Going into it, I was really excited it’s senior day,” Pena said. “I wanted to help my team as much as I can, so I’m definitely happy that I was able to provide any assists or goals for my team.”
By the second period, the university was able to deny St. Thomas from taking a single shot against them, displaying an aggressive attitude that kept the whole game on St. Thomas’s side of the field.
Head Coach Adam Cohen sees this win as proof of how well the team has been progressing in their training and their proficiency at being able to adjust in the midst of a game.
“It’s just a progression of what we’ve been doing in training and then trying to make adjustments within the game,” Cohen said. “Score more goals and certainly try to defend and limit chances from the opponent.”
While a blowout game like the one the Owls had would mean something lesser to another team, they took the win as a means to celebrate the seniors and the dedication they have put forward for the team.
As the seniors ran off the field, not only because the game was over, but to celebrate their accomplishments, forward, Elizabeth Bishop, a sophomore, described the attitude around the game rather succinctly.
“It was a very special day for us,” Bishop said.
