It is no question that the women’s soccer program at University of Puget Sound is good. Their record speaks for itself. Already proud recipients of 10 straight Northwest Conference championships, the Loggers remain the top contender for an 11th straight Conference championship title.
Led by a superb coaching staff, headed by Randy Hanson, and five returning players, the young Puget Sound team seems poised to continue their winning tradition this season, coming away with a pair of victories this past weekend.
On Saturday, Sept. 22, the team took on the 25th-ranked Linfield Wildcats team on Puget Sound turf. Thanks to an incredible display of defensive skills, the Loggers clinched a 1-0 victory over the previously undefeated Wildcats. Goalie Kara Merfeld (Bellingham, Wash.) did not allow Linfield any chance to score.
In her three appearances this season, she has yet to give up a single goal in the 200 minutes that she has been on the field. Juniors Lauren Swanson (Eagle, Idaho) and Kylie Beeson (Everett, Wash.) both contributed to the Loggers’ lone game-clinching goal, as Swanson put a rebounded ball off a corner kick from Beeson into the goal. When the competition got tough, the Loggers rose to the challenge.
“The game against Linfield is always a battle, and yesterday was no exception. And I expect that every game this season is going to be tough to win. But every person on this team is doing the work to keep improving and help each other get better, and that can only make our team stronger and more able to come out and battle week after week,” Beeson said.
“And I would say that is one of the goals for our season: to come out every day knowing that we were as prepared as we could be, and that we played as well as we could,” she continued.
On Sunday, Sept. 23, Puget Sound women’s soccer took the field again, this time facing off against the Willamette Bearcats (3-5-0, 1-3-0 NWC) in Bearcats territory. Sophomore Liz Blonden (Seattle, Wash.), who spent last year on the bench as a medical redshirt due to a season-ending injury, scored the first goal for the Loggers off of a corner kick by Beeson.
Sophomore Robin Vieira (Seattle, Wash.) was responsible for the next two Puget Sound goals, both scored in the second half of the game: one off a pass from freshman Cassie Winter (Seattle, Wash.) and another assisted by Beeson.
Yet again the Loggers displayed their defensive skills, and Merfeld extended her streak to 290 minutes of playing time without allowing a goal as Puget Sound went on to clinch their third straight win, as well as their third straight shutout victory.
The Loggers, who had clinched the lone spot in second place in the Northwest Conference with their victory over Linfield the day before, improved their record to 4-2-1, and 3-0-1 in the NWC.
PHOTO COURTESY / FAITH MATTHEWS
