Majors win conference game
Following their 2-2 tie with nationally ranked Rhodes College,
the Millsaps Majors returned to the turf of Harper Davis field
for one last attempt at winning their first conference game in
several years. Oglethorpe University of Atlanta, Georgia provided
the competition for the last game of the 2005 season.
The Majors
pressed from the beginning with junior forward Amanda Paschall
striking the right post early on in the contest. Sophomore
midfielder Callie Roth finally put the Majors on the board with
an unassisted goal at the 22 minute mark. Roth picked up a loose
ball around midfield, beat a Stormy Petrel defender on the dribble
and ripped a 30 yard blast into the net for her third goal of
the year. 1-0 Millsaps. The Majors were unlucky not to double
their lead when Roth struck the crossbar on a 35 yard fee kick
moments later. Oglethorpe was not out of it however as they tied
the score just two minutes after the free kick. Alex Stalnaker
curled a corner kick in for the Stormy Petrels. The half ended
knotted
at one
apiece.
Sophomore
midfielder Callie Roth
Two minutes
into the second half the game changed dramatically. Millsaps
co-captain
Paschall broke in behind the Oglethorpe defense. Goalkeeper
Lauretta Williams came off her line to make a brave breakaway
save at Paschall’s feet. Unfortunately
for Williams she was outside the penalty area. Williams was called
for the hand ball and given a red card for “denying a clear
scoring opportunity”. Oglethorpe was left to play the remainder
of the match with only ten players. Millsaps finally took advantage
of the situation ten minutes later when first year forward Bobbi
Jones earned a free kick in the attacking third. Roth stepped
up and served
a bending ball into the box where sophomore forward Megan Storm
rose above the crowd to head in her fourth goal of the year and
the eventual game-winner.
After that
it was left to the Millsaps defense led by junior co-captain
Emily
Ainsworth, sophomore sweeper Julia Fell,
and first year goalie Elizabeth Sooby who had 5 saves on the
day, to keep the Stormy Petrels at bay. Despite both teams
creating
several scoring chance neither team was able to finish
and the score remained 2-1 Millsaps at the end of 90 minutes.
The conference victory was the Majors’ first in seven years
and gave them a ninth place finish in the conference this season.
