Opening their first Big East Conference Game, Seton Hall women’s soccer faced Villanova at Owen T. Carroll Field on Sunday, Sept. 22. The Wildcats controlled possession early in the game with multiple attempts on goal, but Seton Hall cleared it away quickly.
Villanova took the game's first corner, but it didn’t amount to a goal. Susanna Soderman of the Wildcats tried to shoot on goal early but there was a strong defensive effort by the Pirates.
A corner kick by Seton Hall in the first 20 minutes was their first notable offensive opportunity but was blocked by Hannah Dickson, the Wildcats goalie.
Key players of this game were both Tori Angelo, an offensive threat for Villanova, with a shot on goal 21 minutes in, and Natalie Tavana with 16 shots on goal this season, winning Big East Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Coach Josh Osit made substitutions early on to provide a spark for the first half for the Pirates. Despite the Wildcats' offensive pressure, goalie Anna Prawer stepped up to save multiple attempts.
Late in the first half, Villanova’s record all-time leading scorer, Madison Schumate, attempted to bring energy to the team as a leading scorer with three goals this season.
There were four shots on goal for Villanova by halftime, with Seton Hall playing more of a defensive game with no shots on goal.
Osit continued to swap out Prawer and Strohecker as goalies for each half, as a strategic move to prevent any offensive attempts.
This is the fourth time the teams have matched up in the Big East Conference with Villanova winning 2-1 last year.
After many attempts on goal by Villanova, the game eventually ended in a 0-0 tie. Seton Hall played a very defensive game, with 8-1 shots on goal in favor of the Wildcats.
As of Oct. 2, 2024, the Pirates are 3-6-3 and have a Big East record of 0-1-2. Their next matchup is against the Providence Friars on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1:00 p.m. at Owen T. Carroll Field.
Grace Tylee is the copy editor for the Setonian’s Sports section. She can be reached at grace.tylee@student.shu.edu.
