Matt Sieckert
Staff Writer
The Dons’ five-match win streak was finally snapped this weekend. Coming off a fresh 3-1 victory at San Jose State this past Tuesday, the Dons returned to their home turf with high hopes, but ultimately were shutout by both Cal and Boise State on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
The Dons played a strong defensive game on Friday, with goalie Madalyn Schiffel playing her way to three saves and Ali Schaffer and Leticia Torres providing strong defense around the interior. Unfortunately, Cal striker Miranda Nild was able to put up the first goal in the 29th minute, the only goal they would need all game. The Bears padded their lead in the 76th minute when striker Arielle Ship was able to convert a brilliant pass from Samantha Witteman into a goal right at the net. The Bears would win this match 2-0. Sonja Giraud led the offense with 2 shots, with Halle Bissin, Samantha Jehnings, and Amanda Whittle each contributing a shot apiece.
Sunday’s match against the Broncos went similarly from an offensive perspective, albeit under sweltering heat conditions. The offense featured a slight uptick in shot opportunities, with Jehnings and Giraud again putting shots up (2 each), and Jessica Nakae and Tiara Webb each appearing on the shot column with 2 and 1, respectively. Despite this increase in shots, however, the team was unable to convert any of them onto the scoreboard.
The real hero of the game, however, was Madelyn Schiffel, as she again stepped up in the saves column (5) and produced her WCC-best 7th shutout, resulting in the team’s third tie of the year.
The Dons’ next match features a strong matchup against rival Santa Clara on October 4th in Santa Clara, Calif.
Photo courtesy of Dons Athletics
