Atlanta Trip

This past weekend our Women's Soccer team traveled down to Atlanta Georgia to take on Agnes Scott and Emory! The drive was long but the girls made themselves comfortable with lots of movies and naps. The day we arrived we were able to relax in our hotel and prepare for Fridays game against Agnes Scott.

On Friday September 19th the team kicked off at 4pm against Agnes Scott College (ASC) and we came out strong. Holding the majority of the possession of the half we were able to slot a ball across the box to find Chloe Brown's feet in the 16th minute giving us a lead of 1-0. The slot came from Becca Cartmill after she won the ball and dribbled at their defense and soon found Chloe at the top of the box. After the first goal the pace slowed slightly but our defense held strong in the back as our offense worked the ball looking for more opportunities. Going into the second half the Crusaders came out strong and continued to possess the ball. Even though we had many scoring opportunities we had troubles finding the back of the net until the last 4 minutes of the game. At 86 minutes Mary Bushee crossed the ball and found Taylor Atkins on the far side who placed it in the back of the net. Only 42 seconds later Mary Bushee, once again, found a pass to the top of the 18 box to Becca Cartmill who struck it nicely and was able to put it in the net to give the Crusaders a 3-0 finish. This game gave us an opportunity to work out some kinks and get our legs going after a long cramped bus ride. Putting this game away was a positive start to the weekend.

On Saturday the team was welcomed by the DeMessa and Brand families at the DeMessa house for lunch and dessert. They prepared a delicious spread for the girls and homemade cupcakes for after! The girls got a home cooked meal and were able to unwind and enjoy the company. We really appreciate everything the DeMessa and Brand families did for us while in Atlanta! After lunch we headed to Stone Mountain to see the laser light show. It was a great experience for them to see the show along with some history on the Battle for Atlanta during the Civil War. The show was a mix of history, modern music, and everything in between.

Sunday we began to prepare for our game against Emory which kicked off at 1pm. Going into the game the girls knew that it would be a battle, the think southern heat would weigh them down, and that their best efforts were needed throughout the game. The game began and the Crusaders came out strong moving the ball quickly and really putting it to Emory. The game went back and forth as both teams pressed on attempting to create scoring opportunities. In the 11th and 39th minute however the Emory Eagles scored ending the half with a 0-2 lead by Emory. Going into the second half the girls got a second wind and came out battling to get on the board. Only 3 minutes into the half Chloe Brown scored of a failed clearance from the Emory keeper. She volleyed the ball into the goal putting us on the board for a score of 1-2. The whole team continued to battle and despite having more scoring chances were unsuccessful. Emory scored once again to give the final score of 1-3. Even though the game ended in a loss for us, the girls truly battled hard and left everything on the field. Not only did they play as a team but they never gave up on the game and kept fighting defensively and offensively through the pain and heat to try to get on the board again.

The trip overall was a success and a great bonding opportunity for the girls. A lot was accomplished during this trip and each day we will continue to grow and get better together as a team. Our next game is on Saturday, September 27th at 4pm at home against Earlham.