by Catherine Rogers
Multimedia Editor
On Sept. 30, the women’s varsity soccer team traveled to Lookout Mountain, Ga., and faced the Lady Scots of Covenant College. The game was the first Bryan/Covenant match since vandalism to Scotland Yard (Covenant’s soccer field) Sept. 28 and began amidst an aura of hostile tension.
The majority of the Bryan men’s soccer team were among the first spectators at the game, decked out in their red team jackets and armed with large drums. Cheering began from both sets of fans and quickly became an obvious competition.
Twelve minutes into the game, junior forward Liz Ponto scored the Lions’ only goal of the night with an assist from freshman forward Hannah Farlett. The first half ended with Bryan in the lead, 1-0.
During halftime, a Covenant student emerged onto the field dramatizing the Bryan vandalism by pretending to spraypaint the center crest. He looked back at the cheering crowds intermittently, putting his finger to his mouth and mocking whoever committed the crime.
A second Scots fan ran onto the field carrying the Covenant flag, chased down the first one and tackled him to the ground. Cheering Scots filled the stands, and taunting between Bryan and Scot fans began as the second half commenced.
Nine minutes into the second half, the Lady Scots evened the score with an unassisted goal by sophomore forward Kara Lee. The game continued as an even match with the Lady Lions making 10 shots on goal and the Scots 12. Bryan keeper Stephanie Gagnon made five impressive saves throughout the game.
The intense play between the two teams didn’t diminish as the game moved into its first overtime. A sweeping pass from sophomore forward Kaitlyn Bryant to Ponto and a shot on goal came to naught.
After 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtimes, neither team was able to break free the tie, and the game ended with a score of 1-1.
[Photos by Catherine Rogers & Mary-Elizabeth Sturtridge]
