Wet Wednesday at Winsper Knobel ends in 2-1 loss in Jackets’ conference opener

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College women's soccer hosted the Manchester Spartans for the first conference matchup of the 2023 campaign, and came up on the short end of a 2-1 contest at Winsper Knobel Field on Wednesday.

The Yellow Jackets (2-5-2, 0-1 HCAC) were outshot by the Spartans (1-7-0, 1-0 HCAC) 37-11 in the midst of a steading rain shower for nearly all 90 minutes. Despite the conditions and numerous opportunities for Manchester, Defiance got on the board first but that lead was short-lived as Manchester would go on to their first win of the season.

DC's score came off an exciting sequence in the 62nd minute. Started with Defiance goalkeeper Sarah O'Shea fending off an attack in front of the net, the Jackets turned a deflected pass atop the Manchester box into a breakaway. Hallie Webb booted a pass forward from Defiance's defensive end down the middle of the pitch ahead of Lexi Coward. Coward raced to the ball and fired a shot off the mitts of Manchester keeper Madilyn VanDerWeele from 15 yards away and the wet ball rolled just inside the right post for the game's first score at 62:19. The goal was Coward's fourth of the year.

Manchester found an equalizer just a few minutes later thanks to a penalty kick. Trying to kick in a rebound off a blocked shot by O'Shea, Grace Papazoglou of the Spartans got tripped up inside the box and was awarded the PK. Papazoglou netted the shot to O'Shea's right for the first Manchester goal of the season.

After keeping up the pressure, the Spartans scored the eventual game-winner with 17:18 left in the contest. On what looked to be a broken play just inside the 15-yard box, Lily DeTray cranked a shot through a narrow window of the defense that took a short hop in front of O'Shea and the slick ball slipped right by her into the net.

Webb got behind the defense and nearly found an equalizer with under three minutes to play, but her open shot was knocked down by VanDerWeele to preserve the victory for the Spartans. Earlier in the second half, Melissa Bixler had an open try during the 60th minute but her shot sailed to the right of the post.

The scoreless first half was characterized by early pressure and a heavy dose of shot attempts by Manchester. The Spartans outshot Defiance 16-5 during the first 45 minutes and also took all five corner kicks from the first half.

O'Shea withstood the heavy load with multiple leaping stops during the first half. In the 17th minute, she batted away an upper-left corner try by Papazoglou. DC's keeper punched away a cross off a corner that rebounded out for a long 22-yard attempt by Manchester that she didn't let through. In the 30th minute, Elaina Halferty tried to go over O'Shea but she climbed the ladder again to keep the game scoreless. O'Shea finished the game with 23 saves, a new season-high and a second straight 20-save game.

Defiance dressed 12 players for the contest while Manchester worked 17 players into the contest. Webb led DC's offense with six shots including four on goal. Papazoglou led the barrage for Manchester with 14 shots and 10 on goal followed by eight from DeTray. The 37 shots and 26 shots on goal by Machester each surpassed the team's season total through their first seven games.

Defiance continues the HCAC slate with another home game on Saturday when they host a men's and women's soccer doubleheader against Hanover. Those contests will be held on the turf at DC's Justin F. Coressel Stadium starting at 1 p.m.

-JACKETS-