By SPENCER BATES
ST. BONAVENTURE — Drenched in ice water, St. Bonaventure women’s soccer coach Melissa Sherwood was showered in praise and celebration after picking up the first win at home of her tenure.
After a long stretch of games away from home, the Bonnies made their triumphant return to the Marra Athletics Field Complex with a 1-0 win over Long Island University. A result that carries significant weight for the program, especially after having fallen in heartbreaking fashion last time out against Cleveland State.
“Cleveland State was a heartbreaker, because we had so many chances to win that game and then to concede in the manner that we did, was a real gut punch,” Sherwood said. “So, I’m pleased for the players to bounce back today and to get the feeling of winning a game. It was a close one. We shut them out, which is really important. … We’ll take (goals) how we can get them, but we still have to tidy some things up. But, (for our) second game at home, we’ll take a win.”
As Sherwood noted, the game was very much in the balance. Early on, LIU was on the front foot, creating chances through positive and composed moves up the field. For a grand majority of the first half, Bona struggled to break out of its defensive third, relying on quick clearances and counter attacks.
Fortunately for the Bonnies, they were able to deliver a gut punch of their own against the Sharks. With 14 minutes left in the opening half, Hannah Walker found herself in space down the left wing after a smart through ball caught out the LIU defense. Walker was then able to lace a dangerous ball through the visitor’s penalty area which found the legs of an unsuspecting defender for the Sharks who put the ball into her own net.
The goal shook Bona free from the immense pressure it had been under and opened the game up, with the hosts looking to add another.
Sherwood described it as an ‘ugly’ win, but she and her team won’t mind how it happened, just that it fell their way this time. Still, she is aiming for her team to continue to create more offensive opportunities in games moving forward.
“The game was pretty open to be honest,” Sherwood said. “I think we limited them in terms of shots and chances created. … I think we stifled them a little bit, but they still carried a little bit of a threat. And 1-0, you win ugly, we just managed to get it over the line and we got the job done. We have to keep working on creating more chances and hopefully moving forward, rather than it being 1-0 … it’s more comfortable. Maybe (it will be) 3-0 rather than 1-0. That’s the goal moving forward.”
St. Bonaventure’s Kellsie Flint (23) looks to maintain possession in the middle of the field while under pressure from an LIU defender. (St. Bonaventure Athletics)
Luckily, as the tides of the game shifted back and forth, Bona’s defense was able to withstand the pressure LIU brought. It was the second clean sheet of the season for Sherwood’s squad, and an important one according to her, considering it was a collective effort.
“They headed it when they needed to, they kicked it when they needed to, they covered each other well, and they dealt with the adaptations,” Sherwood said. “I think we probably played seven different players in the back line in today’s game. It was a team effort, they understood their jobs and gave everything for each other.”
The back line was not the only area on the field in which that was apparent either. The Bonnies had subs entering and exiting the game on a regular basis, especially as the second half wound down and victory was in sight. Sherwood applauded her players, who showed her they were ready to step up at a moment’s notice.
“It’s a team effort, it’s a squad effort, you need everybody,” Sherwood said. “If people need a breather, then it’s the next woman up. You just have to be ready and take your opportunity when you get it.”
No matter the personnel Bona had out on the field, there was a sense of conviction in how they played. Sherwood praised how smart her entire team operated against the Sharks, choosing the right moments throughout the entirety of the fixture to surge forward and hold back. Still, she admitted, there is room for improvement.
“It’s just about being smart, having the intelligence to pick and choose the moments,” Sherwood said. “That’s something, collectively, the team has to keep working on, understanding the game. But it was good to see that they knew when to stay back and when to go forwards to try and get that extra goal. … Those minutes in those moments of the game are really important. It doesn’t matter if you play one minute or 90, they’re all important.”
Now with wind in their sails and the overarching shadow of that first home win now behind them, the Bonnies will carry momentum into their final non-conference game of the season, another home affair against Oakland. That game is set for Sept. 14 at 1 p.m.
