The Allegheny Women’s Soccer team played against the John Caroll Blue Streaks at the Robertson Athletic Complex on Wednesday, Sept. 18. The Gators came into the contest with a 2-3-0 record, while the visitors started the game with a record of 3-2-0.

The Gators started strong, as Alex Klare, ’22, scored a goal from just outside the 18-yard box, lifting the ball over the goalkeeper’s head and into the back of the net. Klare continued her dominance over the game in the 55th minute of the match, when she scored her second goal, this one from a similar distance and angle, putting the Gators up 2-0 in the process.

Allegheny was unable to hold the Blue Streaks for the entire 90 minutes, as the visiting team leveled the score with two late goals inside the final 10 minutes of regulation.

These goals sent the game in overtime. While both teams were able to muster a couple of chances respectively, neither could break the deadlock, and the score ended in a tie. Although the Gators were disappointed not to take the full three points at home, Blair Proteau, ’21, maintained a positive outlook on the game and what it could mean for the team moving forward.

“We knew John Caroll was a very strong team, so we were very excited once we got a goal right off the bat and had such a strong first half,” Proteau said. “In the second half, I think it really came down to the last 10 minutes or so, and we just need to correct that.”

Looking forward to NCAC conference play kicking into gear in the next couple of weeks, Proteau emphasized the importance of getting the right results first and foremost rather than focus so much on possession and spectacular play.

“(Our coach) reminds us how good we are as a team in possession and technically,” Proteau said. “We are very good with passing and connecting with our teammates but it’s really about finishing at this point in the season where I think that we need to work more on just competing and being able to play to win. So, when it comes down to the last five minutes of the game, we have to put it away. We know we are a good passing team, so it’s more just taking opportunities when we have them.”

Following Proteau’s thoughts on the game and outlook on the season for Gators, Alex Heinle, ’21, also looked back on the match and looked forward to the rest of the season, particularly conference play.

“John Carroll is a very good team, and even though we tied we can definitely take something from the game,” Heinle said. “For us, we can learn from our mistakes and use them to improve in time for conference play.”

Many lessons were learned for the Gators, but most notably being able to grind out the last few minutes of the game to get the positive result they strive for.

“Coming out of that game we can all learn that anything can happen,” Heinle said. “We were up 2-0 for a large portion of the game, and we need to learn to keep our level of play up in order to keep the lead over our opponent.”

For Klare, her two goals in the match marked her first two collegiate goals. As the team moves forward toward their first conference game of the season, Klare emphasized how the team has gotten better with every game, and how that bodes well for the future.

“It was awesome to get two goals; really you can’t describe the feeling of when everyone is celebrating a goal no matter who scores it,” Klare said. “As a whole yesterday, even though we didn’t win, we played our best game of soccer so far. Every game leading up to conference play we have played better and better and have gotten more prepared.”

Klare acknowledged the importance of nonconference tilts as they prepare the team for the real deal coming up in the next couple of weeks.

“Each game has to be used as fuel for conference play because that is what all the preparation is for,” Klare said.

The Gators wrap up non-conference play this upcoming Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the Robertson Athletic Complex against Penn State Behrend before palying against their first conference foe, Kenyon, on Saturday, Sept. 28.