By Tim Heiduk
August 15, 2019
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Despite a fast start, the #25 Westmont women's soccer team opened up the 2019 season with a 2-1 home loss against Southern Oregon (1-0).
 
"We're young, especially in the backline, and we had a couple breakdowns," said head coach Jenny Jaggard. "We were not as organized as I was hoping we were going to be today. I think that we have to credit Southern Oregon for being pretty organized. Their shape was really good in this game and they countered.
 
"They were very physical and I think that that's something our team is going to have to work on being better at, especially in the midfield - Being able to battle and win balls and not let them bounce through. I think that maybe they got in our heads a little bit and we started trying to play their game a little bit, trying to be physical and knock it long when we're a swing and play on the ground kind of team."
 
Brooke Porter gave the Warriors an early lead in the eighth minute after her shot from the left side of the box squeaked through the goalkeeper's legs. Porter, whose goal was assisted by Maddi Berthoud, scored in her first official collegiate game after missing her first three seasons at Westmont with injuries.
 
"I'm so excited for her. Brooke has worked so hard and her story is an inspiring one," said Jaggard. "For her to come out and do that in her first game is really exciting. I think there's more things to come … Brooke is a player that knows how to overcome challenges and we're going to be looking towards her to help pick the team up after this loss and move forward."
 
Goalkeeper Gabi Haw maintained the Warriors' lead in the 34th minute with a spectacular save on a shot seemed destined for the top left corner.
 
Westmont looked to add to its lead when Kira Nemeth made a surging run forward from left back, playing a one-two with Katie Stella before crossing to Valerie Swisher, whose redirected shot was saved.
 
A few minutes later Chase Sprink's shot was saved as well, keeping the score 1-0 going into halftime.
 
The Warriors almost doubled their lead soon after the intermission when Teagan Matye's cross from the right flank found the feet of Reese Davidson whose shot was miraculously saved off the goal line by a Southern Oregon defender.
 
The visitors made the hosts pay just minutes later, getting themselves on the board in the 50th minute. A through ball over the top reached Raiders' forward Baylee Touey, whose shot went past Haw and took an unfortunate deflection off a Warrior defender to level the scoring.
 
Westmont had a penalty shout when Bri Johnson was taken down by the Raiders' keeper, but no foul was called and the ball went out for a goal kick.
 
The home side kept pressing to retake the lead, with Porter shooting not far over from 20 yards out.
 
Haw then smartly poked over a shot from distance before saving a one-on-one to keep the game tied.
 
"They were huge," said Jaggard on Haw's impressive saves. "Gabi is a central player to this team and she comes up big in huge moments."
 
The reigning GSAC Co-Player of the Year's heroics were undone in the 79th minute when Southern Oregon's Aislinn Waite shot into the upper left corner to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
 
The Warriors pressed forward for an equalizer, but were unable to find one after a last second cross just bounced over Stella's head inside the box and time expired.
 
"I think that we analyze ourselves in how we've performed more when we lose than when we win," said Jaggard. "This is going to be a time for reflection, a time for us to know we're not invincible. We've got some really big games coming up in the preseason and this is the time where I want us to keep knowing that we've got lots of work to do, that we can continue to build. I'm sure that these women will get their confidence back, they're good players."
 
Westmont has one day of rest before returning to action on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. for an exhibition match at UCSB. The Warriors return home next Wednesday to play Marymount at 4:00 p.m.
 
"We'll focus on recovery tomorrow and look at some film, talking about how we fix our shape, how we get back to doing what I felt we did really well in a scrimmage against Cal Poly," said Jaggard. "I think we need a little more discipline in the midfield with holding our triangle shape. We really got flat and I'm not sure why we did that. Especially when they equalized on us, we were just trying to go forward, which is not entirely our game. We need to recognize that we need somebody checking in the middle, holding that shape. Once we remember that I think that we're going to be okay."