Despite coming off a win against Delaware three days prior, the Tribe (4-9-3, 2-4-3 CAA) could not catch up to Northeastern (9-8-1, 5-4 CAA), resulting in a 0-1 loss and a close to the season at home on Sunday, Oct. 31. The Tribe needed the win in order to have a chance at making it to the Colonial Athletic Association tournament.
The first several minutes into the game, William and Mary found it difficult to pass center field and drive to the goal.
With about ten minutes left in the first half, Husky forward Nina Dooley scored against the College. However, there was some discussion on whether or not Northeastern was offside. The ref had held up his flag, indicating offsides, but as the play continued, he dropped it and Dooley scored. The controversy surrounding the first,and only, goal of the game made the Tribe’s season ending loss all the more disappointing.
Head Coach Julie Shackford weighed in on the play regarding the only goal of the game.
“I think, on the goal, I’m pretty sure it was offsides,” Shackford said. “Our kids just hesitated a little bit, unfortunately, and you can’t really do that, because you just don’t know what’s going to happen on a play like that.”
Immediately following the controversial goal, the Tribe responded with two close shots back-to-back from freshman defender Emma D’Alesandro and senior midfielder Renee Kohler, which hit the crossbar.
The Tribe had ten shots overall, but it was the defense that had a major impact on the game. It was because of the defense that it was not until almost twenty minutes into the first half that Northeastern took their first shot at the net.
“I think overall, I’m pretty pleased with the way we competed,” Shackford said. “We had a rough season with a third of our team out with COVID for four or five games, and they really bounced back and were very resilient the whole way through.”
The defensive players were also the playmakers for the final game.
Sophomore defender Bridget Fitzpatrick, a player who just returned from an injury, spoke to the defense’s impressive work.
“An overall theme of our season has just been like overall team defending, and as the season has gone on, it’s just continued to get better and better,” Fitzpatrick said.
Junior goalkeeper Zoe Doughty had a major save with 25 minutes left, keeping the team and fans’ spirits and hopes alive until the last few minutes of the game. The Tribe fought until the end, but they could not find their way to the goal to either defeat Northeastern or tie it up.
Fitzpatrick also thanked the seniors for leading the Tribe.
Since a win against Northeastern was necessary for the Tribe to advance to the playoffs, for many seniors like senior midfielder Hannah Potter, Sunday was an afternoon of reminiscing as they played for the College for the final time.
“I met my best friends. It has been a really awesome experience,” Potter said.
With this season coming to a close, the Tribe reflects on the fall play. Shackford wants to emphasize that the team is right where she wants it.
“I think all these games are tight, and you can see that there’s such parity in the league, and so, I think we just keep competing, work on how to be a little bit more dangerous on the attacking third of the field.” Shackford said, “Overall, we’re headed in the right direction for sure.”