Women’s Soccer Remains Undefeated
Charlotte Cenatiempo (center) is congratulated by teammates (Photo courtesy of Gettysburg College Athletics)
By John Zak, Staff Writer
The Gettysburg College Women’s Soccer team advanced to a dominant 6-0 record last Saturday following their road triumph against Washington College.
The Bullets’ lone goal in the match came from Senior forward Charlotte Cenatiempo, her fourth of the season and second game-winner.
The first half of the match was primarily a defensive affair, with the Washington team holding a 4-3 shot advantage over the Bullets.
The Bullets offense kicked into gear during the second half as the team doubled their shots on goal in the first twelve minutes. The continued offensive pressure applied by Gettysburg proved too much for WAC as Cenatiempo scored at the 62:14 minute mark.
The win is an important milestone in what appears to be a promising year for the women’s soccer team. This is their first 6-0 start since 1993. This game was also the Centennial Conference opener for the team, their seventh CC opener victory in the last decade.
The conference opener in Chestertown, MD, highlighted the strengths of this Bullets team so far this season. The strong defense showing was seen by the clean sheet kept on the road, with sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Cunningham gaining two saves.
The sound performance by the Bullets defense has proven to be the norm as the team has only allowed 3 goals in the first six games of the season. The game also highlighted the impressive offense, which has been particularly efficient so far this season, outscoring opponents 16-3.
The win pleased head coach Matt Garrett, who during an interview with the Gettysburg athletic department following the game stated, “A great second half performance and response from the team. Happy to be 6-0 and 1-0 in the Centennial Conference, the season starts again on Wednesday.”
With ten regular season games to go, the Bullets have overwhelmed their opponents, averaging 2.67 goals per game vs. 0.5 and 14.5 shots per game vs. 8.7.
The offense also has impressive chemistry, with a team effort in scoring demonstrated by their 12 assists so far this season while only allowing 5 for their opponents.
Such stats are a major source of the team’s offensive power and reason for success but the dominant offense is complimented further by an equally impressive defense.
Over the course of the season, the defense has allowed less than one goal per game and has only allowed a 5.8 opponent shot percentage.
Sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Cunningham continues to show to be a valuable asset for the defense by boasting a 63.8 save percentage and 28 saves in total. Cunningham has also started all six games.
Coach Garrett set high expectations for his team at the start of the season, stating in an interview with the college at the start of the season:
“We have a very young team that has so much potential, we are excited for this year and the future. We now realize we have to get better, moving forward, and not looking back.”
So far this season this team has managed to move forward, jumping to an undefeated record and casting itself as a force to be reckoned with in the Centennial Conference.
The team will seek to continue their undefeated season in their next game at McDaniel, just a short drive away next Wednesday. The Green Terror are off to a great start to the season themselves, winning the last six after dropping their first game to St. Mary’s.
