As the rain poured and the wind howled, the Cabrini women’s soccer team recorded its second straight win to beat Keystone College 3 to 0.
With the win, Cabrini moves back to .500 and improved their conference standing to 5 to 3.
The first half was a stalemate, with both teams struggling for control on the wet turf.
“It was a tough game for us because the weather was horrendous,” coach Ken Prothero said.
However, as the second half got underway, the weather started to change for the better and Cabrini was soon on the board. In the 47 minute, senior Chrissy Regan scored on a rebound from a shot by fellow senior Nicole Duggan.
In the 62 minute, Freshman Kara Hinkelmon made it 2 to 0 off a cross from senior Collette Walsh.
Finally, Cabrini added on its final insurance goal less than 10 minutes later on a shot from freshman Sammy Thompson.
Keystone College came in with a game plan.
“They put all their best players in the back and played a more defensive game, but once the weather cleared up in the second half we were able to generate more offense,” Prothero said.
The game was also the last home game for the six seniors on the team: Chrissy Regan, Nicole Duggan, Collette Walsh, Jen Burke, Christina Romano and Brittany Shields.
“It’s definitely bittersweet because it was a day to celebrate and recognize the six of us but it was also sad because it could be the last home game we ever play on that field, depending on our seed in playoffs,” senior English and communications major Nicole Duggan said.
“Time really does fly and I’m going to miss the team a lot,” senior elementary education major Jen Burke said. “It all seems so unreal.”
Cabrini was able to honor its six seniors by making sure that every person on the team got to play in their final home game.
“Everybody on our roster got to play in the game, and that is always a positive,” Prothero said.
As the seniors were walking off their home field for what could be the final time, the parents and fans who were brave enough to weather the storm gave the team a standing ovation.
However, the season is not over yet.
At .500, the team has two more away games to play before the playoffs start.
“I want to leave here as CSAC champions because we have more talent and heart than any other team in our conference. We owe it to ourselves,” Burke said.
With this win, the team is now seated in the middle of the conference standings, but with two of the lower ranked teams still to play, Cabrini has a chance to move up significantly in the standings before the playoffs start.
The team is set on taking home a CSAC championship for themselves and perhaps more importantly for the six seniors on the team who have given so much to make this team what it is today.
The team will try and return the favor by making sure that the game played Saturday night in the rain wont be the last home game for the graduating seniors.
