Creighton’s women’s soccer team fell to Drake in overtime last night, 2-1. That’s the Bluejays’ second consecutive loss, both coming on the road — they previously dropped a 2-1 match at league-leader Illinois State. Bruce Erickson’s team now sits at 2-2-0 in MVC play, and 9-5-1 overall.
The women’s soccer team was tabbed to finish third in the MVC preseason poll, and with such a young roster the average fan might say the Jays have exceeded expectations so far this season. But if you asked any of the coaching staff, they are doing what is expected of them. From the start of training, Erickson and the coaches have been pleased with this team’s offensive skill and defensive mindset, and those traits translated to a 5-3-1 so far in non-conference play (with one non-conference match remaining this Sunday against Southern Utah).
Creighton’s overall game plan has been solid all season, during which the offense has played well and the defense has been able to hold its own with some dominating performances. Entering last night’s match at Drake, the Jays had outscored their opponents 30-8 this season, while holding their opponents to an average of .57 goals per game. The Bluejays have doubled their opponents in shots per game (18.9/9.1), assists (18/9), and corner kicks (73/37).
These figures show Creighton has been able to sustain a balanced attack while showing a great effort on defense. Still, the Bluejays have been a bit streaky this season, with two winning streaks surrounding losses at North Dakota State and Northern Colorado and a home match versus Arizona State. And last night’s loss in Des Moines gives Erickson’s club its first back to back losses of the season. Here’s hoping they can make a final run into the MVC tournament with two straight home matches (this Sunday and next Sunday) and a trip to Evansville on October 29.