Women’s Soccer | Photo by Arden Reimer | The Wright State Guardian
Following an impressive 2-1 victory against Robert Morris Thursday, the Wright State University women’s soccer team returned home Sunday, ultimately falling short on senior night against the Oakland Grizzlies.
Before the game
Heading into Sunday, WSU had sole possession of first place in the Horizon League, with Milwaukee trailing by one point.
Oakland, one of the four teams tied for third, entered the match with a 6-2-7 overall record and a 3-1-3 record in conference play. Oakland had won its previous two matches against the Raiders.
The match
The match got off to a slow start with both teams going scoreless in the first half. Oakland applied pressure on defense, leaving the Raiders with four shots compared with the Grizzlies’ 11 in the first half.
Both teams scrambled to find momentum. In minute 53, the Grizzlies got on the scoreboard and took a 1-0 lead. That lead grew larger as Oakland produced two more goals before minute 65.
Down 3-0, WSU was desperate for a goal when freshman Elise Canter got the Raiders on the scoreboard in minute 68. Canter’s goal marked a personal third in the last two games.
“I think I have become more confident playing as a freshman,” Canter said.
Game outcome
The Raiders fell short to Oakland with a final score of 3-1. The Raiders hosted a senior ceremony after the game to acknowledge the 11 seniors on the team.
“It is easy going down 3-0, but I am proud of how our team fought and competed to the end,” head coach Travis Sobers mentioned.
Senior Olga Massombo is one of the seniors who has played a huge role for the Raiders while at Wright State.
“This day has meant so much to me,” Massombo said. “Coach Sobers believed in me and trusted me to lead this team, and I have really enjoyed the process.”
Moving on to the season finale
Wright State will hit the road this Wednesday to face off against arch-rival Northern Kentucky University in the last regular season game. The Raiders have fallen in the standings and this upcoming game is an opportunity to get back in rhythm before the start of the conference tournament.
“We are going to go and compete and give ourselves the best opportunity in the conference tournament, and it all starts with recovery and preparing for NKU,” Sobers said.
Wright State will kickoff against the Norse on Wednesday at seven p.m. The season finale will be streaming live from ESPN+.
