Box Score By: B.J. Pheasant, Assistant Soccer Coach
(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The fourth-ranked Thomas More College women's soccer team played their final regular season home match against Bethany College on Wednesday, October 26th. With the 2-0 final score line the Saints improve to 17-0-1 overall and 8-0 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). With the loss Bethany falls to 2-13-1 overall and 0-7-1 in the PAC.
"We must keep getting better," said TMC head coach Jeff Cummings. "Every game from here on out is a crucial game in the conference or in the tournament. We must be ready to play from the opening whistle."
The Saints started slowly in the game and while they tallied 20 shots in the first half against the Bison most were merely hopeful. In the 20th minute Kaitlyn Armentrout (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) laid a ball back to Erika LaRosa (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) for the score and 1-0 lead. As players rotated into the game there were some sparks of life. In the 23rd minute Olivia Nienaber (Alexandria, Ky./Bishop Brossart) had a shot cleared off the line and the clearance as shot just over the bar by Emily Cummings (Cincinnati, Ohio/Glen Este). In the 36th minute Megan Sheridan (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) was on the back post run after corner kick and put the ball into the side netting – on the outside. The score was 1-0 at the half.
The second half was a different story as the effort level returned to where it needed to be. The Saints thoroughly outclassed the visitors with numerous quality chances and only frantic defending was able to keep the visitors in with a chance. In the 47th Nienaber hit the rebound off a free kick, 49th LaRosa's header was just wide, 49th Nienaber again followed in a free kick and hit the rebound askew, 56th Lauren Rose (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) shot off the post, 57th Samantha Goodwin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) put in a great cross that LaRosa put off the crossbar, 57th Shaye Isaacs (Nicholasville, Ky./West Jessamine) split two defenders and pushed in a ball blocked out by the keeper, 61st Taylor Robinson (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) just off the back post on a corner, and in the 63rd Robinson shot from 25 off the cross bar.
In the 77th minute Sheridan played a corner kick into Laura Felix (Burlington, Ky./St. Henry) who crossed the ball back post where Nienaber put in an insurance goal to make the score 2-0. In the 85th minute Jordan Wuest (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) ripped a shot from 25 yards forcing a finger tip save and in the 88th minute Cummings had shot from a corner kick scrum saved off the line. The Saints tallied 45 shots and 15 corner kicks in the game.
The Saints travel for their final regular season game at Washington & Jefferson College on Saturday, October 29th. PAC Championship Tournament play commences in November with game times and locations TBA. If you aren't able to make it out to the games live video and stats are available with links found on TMCSaints.com on the women's soccer schedule page.
With it being the final regular season home game we present the Class of 2017 Seniors from Thomas More Women's Soccer with their bios and with a favorite soccer memory and advice for the first-years.
Megan Barton
Major: Mathematics
Hometown: Florence, Ky.
Parent's: Steve & Carol
Sibling(s): Alex
Career Plans: Become an Actuary or Data Analyst.
Favorite Memory: Costa Rica and Soccer Baseball
Advice to incoming class: Never stop working and appreciate every day. There's never a day you can't get better. Just know that there will be a day when those 7 am practices and Pennsylvania road trips you hated will become nostalgic, so enjoy the moment. This is your family for the next four years.
Emily Cummings
Major: Accounting and Finance
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Parent's: John & DeAnna
Sibling(s): Shelby
Career Plans: Become an Accountant.
Favorite memory: Getting to play for my Uncle. We've had great times together. Our first memory we shared was when at my batism my godfather (Coach) dropped me in the bath of Holy Water. I knew from then on we would have a great relationship, such as, getting confronted by police at a rest stop on the Ohio Northern trip and beating #2 Carnegie Melon on their home field.
Advice to incoming class: enjoy it while it lasts
Laura Felix
Major: Biology with a concentration in cellular and molecular biology
Hometown: Burlington, Ky.
Parent's: Erwin & Jill
Sibling(s): Kristina, Joseph, Daniel, Mary, Jenny
Career Plans: Attend medical school to become a physician focused specifically on academic and research-based medicine
Favorite memory: Traveling to Costa Rica my sophomore year
Advice to incoming class: Work on fitness during the summer.. you will hate life less during season and always ask for bagels before every game
Chrissy Holt
Major: Education
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Parent's: Jane & John
Career Plans:
Favorite memory: going to Costa Rica with the team
Advice to incoming class: to put school in front of your social life, and if you're struggling in a class ask for help from the teacher sooner rather than later or you can find yourself falling farther behind. Although school does come first, make it possible to go out and have fun with your friends. Four years flies by, make the most out of it, and do what makes you happy!
Brandi Hunter
Major: Biology
Hometown: Lynchburg, Ohio
Parent's: John and Melissa Hunter
Sibling(s): Justin, Shelbi
Career Plans: to attend Physicians Assistant (PA) school
Favorite memory: making it to the Elite 8 and all of the memories made in Costa Rica.
Advice to incoming class: Explore your interests and be open to new opportunities, don't be afraid to try things that are out of your comfort zone. Freshman year is the best time to put yourself out there and find out what you like as well as dislike. Stay organized and make sure you balance your time wisely. It's also important to remember to always make time for yourself.
Erika LaRosa
Major: Theology
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Parent's: Lisa & Michael
Sibling(s): Nick, Ryan, Olivia
Career Plans: Help the homeless
Favorite memory: My favorite tmc soccer memory was winning in overtime in the sweet sixteen two years ago advancing us to the elite eight of the tournament. I want to get back there again :)
Advice to incoming class: I would remind them that we don't let people take shots on us and they better keep that mentality going ;) and to have fun and enjoy each moment because it'll go by really fast!
Josie Perrino
Major: Forensic Chemisty
Hometown: Tracey, Calif.
Parent's: John & Terri
Sibling(s): Nico
Career Plans: undecided
Favorite memory: My favorite soccer memory was making it to the elite 8 of the NCAA tournament sophomore year.
Advice to incoming class: Never schedule an 8am, you'll think you can handle it because you could in high school, but you really can't.
Taylor Robinson
Major: Nursing
Hometown: Alexandria, Ky.
Parent's: Theresa Beckerich & Scott Robinson
Sibling(s): Donielle, Ryle, Bill
Career Plans: Pediatric Oncologist
Favorite memory: Costa Rica
Advice to incoming class: Enjoy playing while it last because it truly does go by fast. Have fun and make friendships that will last you a lifetime.
Lauren Rose
Major: Psychology
Hometown: West Chester, Ohio
Parent's: Jeff & Jennifer Rose, Craig & Stacey Rhodes
Sibling(s): Ryan, Haley, Emma, Audrey, Luke
Career Plans: Clinical Psychologist
Favorite memory: The trip to Costa Rica & the trips to away games we took in vans-specifically when coach was driving.
Advice to incoming class: Focus on school first. And don't be afraid to ask for help if you're struggling!
