Bella Rubino

Women's Soccer Evan Weber

Playoff Preview: Women's Soccer an Offensive Juggernaut

Steubenville, Ohio

    The women's soccer season can be summed up in one word: dominance. The Franciscan Barons end the regular season with an impressive 7-1-2 record, clinching the #2 seed in the PAC. As a top 2 seed, the team will bypass the quarterfinals and land straight into the semifinals. The highly anticipated match will be held on Wednesday, November 2, on campus at Trinity Health System Field.
    Coming into the playoffs, the Barons look built for the championship. In conference play, they went undefeated in their first eight games. Despite a loss to Geneva on October 18, the Barons picked themselves back to end the regular season with a victory over Allegheny. When the team wins, they're clearly a cut above the competition. The Barons beat Grove City 6-1, Thiel 5-1, and Saint Vincent 8-2. On average, they won by a margin of 3 goals.
    The Barons were able to achieve this by having an exceptionally well-rounded team, led by a mix of experienced seniors along with up-and-coming freshmen and sophomores. Star forwards Tania Davidson and Juliana Rubino drove the offense all season long. Davidson was historically great, leading the entire PAC in goals. She now has the most career goals in Franciscan history with 28, and the most goals scored in a single season with 18. All of this, and she's still a sophomore. Juliana Rubino was no slouch either. Her 14 goals were good for 3rd in the conference, while she was named PAC Offensive Player of the Week multiple times. But the Baron's weren't just strong in their offense. The team defense was incredible, allowing very few shots on goal. Goalkeeper Rebekka Dill produced 4 shutouts with 51 saves total. When Dill was injured, Bri DeChristopher, an All-OVAC goalkeeper in high school, brought renewed passion and excellent play at her position. In her 6 games, she had 28 saves, 2 shutouts, and only 4 goals allowed. Defensive stalwart Angela Postage showed prowess in her passing, leading the entire PAC in assists with 10. Overall, the Barons are strong contenders for the title and more than worthy of the #2 seed.
    Now, the Barons sit high and mighty, waiting for the next unfortunate opponent to challenge them. They will face #3 Grove City. You can review the Barons' regular season matchup with Grove City here. The Barons will host the semifinal match at home on Wednesday, November 2 at 4:30 pm. This is an extra special occasion, as there will be donuts, hot cider, and a halftime competition to win AirPod Pros! Come watch your Barons as they enter the semifinals and hopefully, move beyond!

Stay Connected 
Be sure to follow Franciscan Athletics on Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for the most in-depth coverage.
Print Friendly Version