Crimson Wave Tie Saints in Season Finale

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – After going the entire month without a goal, yet alone a win, the Calumet College of St. Joseph women's soccer team was looking to close out their season on a high note. While it wasn't the first win of the season they were hoping for, the Wave ended up scoring two goals and ended in a 2-2 double overtime draw with Holy Cross College Saturday afternoon in Notre Dame, Ind.

Holy Cross (2-13-3, 0-10-1) started off the game like most have done against the Wave this season with two early goals. Sydney Toth knocked home the first of the game only 11:17 into the first half, thanks to a nice assist from Bella Cuevas. Less than two minutes later Marij Lynch-Pastoor added to the Saints lead on an unassisted tally. The Wave managed six shots in the half, four of them being on goal, but were sent into the intermission with nothing to show for their attempts, down 2-0.

It seemed like the team was destined to repeat what had become an all too familiar storyline, but the team showed tenacity, something that had been missing in many of their defeats during the 2017 campaign. Katie Rubright (SR/Wood Dale, Ill.) started the turnaround when she put her shot in the back of the net at the 68:55 mark to make it 2-1 HCC. Determined not to end her career with a loss, Fatima Garcia (SR/Cicero, Ill.) banked in a Kelsie Brezinski (SR/Highland, Ind.) pass with only 17 minutes left in regulation to even the game up at 2-2.

The game would end up going to overtime, and then double overtime when no one scored in the first extra frame. The Wave were not able to register a shot in the extra 20 minutes of play, but Geena Lucicero came up big in relief of Jasmine Castillo (SO/Chicago, Ill.), stopping two shots to keep the Saints from winning in sudden death. After 110 minutes the score was all even, ending the season with a tie. It was the fourth overtime game for the Wave this season, the second which ended in a tie.

Castillo, who started the game saved four of the six shots she faced in the first half. Lucicero would end up stopping six shots, while allowing no goals in 65 minutes of play. Hannah Alderson (JR/Manchester, England) led the team with five shots in the game, while Alex Clemente (SR/Rensselaer, Ind.) had four.

The Crimson and Gray end their season at 0-12-2, 0-10-1 in CCAC action. It was the team's first winless campaign since the 2008 season. Injuries and a lack of depth proved to be the Lady Wave's Achilles heel, never allowing them to be competitive in most of the competitions. The attention will now turn to what is to be a busy offseason, having to replace ten graduating seniors, while focusing on getting the returning players health and ready to go for next fall.

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