Box Score Grand Rapids, MI – The 11th-ranked Aquinas women's soccer team fell behind early and never fully recovered in a hard-fought 2-1 home loss to 24th-ranked and unbeaten Taylor University. It was the Saints' third consecutive loss by a single goal after a season-opening win over Campbellsville. All four of their games have been decided by one goal.
Taylor 2, Aquinas 1
Head coach Jenna Smith wanted her team to come out aggressive in the opening half, but the defense allowed too much space on the backside and the Trojans exploited that with two goals in a 30-minute stretch against keeper Kayla Shuck
Despite the slow start that resulted in a two-goal deficit at the half, the Saints played inspired in the second half by keeping an athletic and talented Taylor squad off the board as they tried to mount a comeback.
The Saints were forced to play from behind for the third straight game but closed the gap to one in the 81st minute as junior captain Maeve Comfort found space at the top of the box and drilled it past the diving keeper.
Sophomore Bella Teelander picked up the assist on the goal.
The Saints tried to find the equalizer in the final nine minutes of regulation but struggled to generate any quality scoring chances against a stingy Taylor defense.
The Saints' goal was only the third given up by the Trojans (8-0) in eight games.
Katelynn Sterling, Catherine Hoff and Olivia Bowling played all 90 minutes on defense and helped keep the Saints within striking distance throughout.
Inside the Numbers
- Kayla Shuk registered four saves.
- The Saints were outshot 14-7 and managed only two in the second half.
- Abigail Kramer had the lone shot on goal for Aquinas.
- Corners: Aquinas had three compared to two by the Trojans.
Coach's Comments
Head Coach Jenna Smith was disappointed by another close loss: "They are very frustrating, and it's not just me. The girls know it, and we are all trying to find the answers. It's tough when you come from last year and think about the success we had and then it's a new team because we lost a lot. The good news is we have time to figure it out and I think if we play at that pace we did the last 10 minutes and put together two good halves then we will be in a good place."
Up Next
The Saints (1-3) return home Saturday for a Homecoming Game against visiting Madonna at noon. Aquinas is seeking its first home win.
NOTE: Dean Holzwarth, serving as the Senior AQSaints Athletics Reporter & Content Specialist for AQSaints.com, brings decades of journalistic precision and storytelling flair to the Saints' media efforts. Previously, he covered high school sports for five years at Grand Rapids–based WOOD-TV, following a 16-year tenure in sports reporting with the Grand Rapids Press and MLive. His deep experience in capturing the heartbeat of local athletics now fuels his engaging coverage of Aquinas College sports.
