By Ian Round

Though five players have been sidelined due to injury, Kenyon’s women’s soccer coaches are proud of the way the team has adjusted to adversity.

“From our view as coaches, they’ve shown nothing but positivity,” Assistant Coach Kaitlyn Mallernee said.

According to Mallernee, injuries the players are suffering include two anterior cruciate ligament injuries, a medial collateral ligament injury and two concussions. She said that on the way to the team’s Sept. 17 game at the University of Mount Union, the bus had to stop because one of the concussed players got sick.

Despite injuries to many key players, the Ladies (currently 2-5) beat Case Western Reserve University 1-0 on Sept. 21 to snap a three-game losing streak.

“Our shutout against Case was a huge testament to our work ethic over the past few weeks,” Marie Laube ’16 wrote in an email. “We have been playing hard in each game but have still been getting scored on.”

Laube hasn’t missed time despite walking around campus in a boot. “I had a minor injury to the bottom of my foot, but I felt it could easily be played on, and I really did not want to miss any games,” she said.

Mallernee said the team was relieved by the win. She and Head Coach Kelly Bryan called it a “humble victory.”

“They were just so physically and mentally tired that it was just like a breath of fresh air,” Mallernee wrote. “It’s how winners should act.”

Taylor Jamil ’17 forced a turnover in the second half against Case and cleared the ball to Co-Captain Becca Romaine ’15, who sprinted downfield and scored from inside 15 yards. It was the fourth goal of the season for Romaine, who scored more than half of the Ladies’ goals in 2012.

Bryan said the team’s first shutout felt “glorious,” and that it was “well deserved” and “hard earned.”

“Our team defending was phenomenal,” Bryan said. “If one person got beat, there was another there to back them up.” Bryan said Laube and Ansen Burr ’16 have been “doing a great job” as leaders and decision-makers.

“We have all been asked to step out of our comfort zones and play in positions that we may not be as familiar with,” Laube wrote. “Our entire team has done a miraculous job of adjusting and playing well despite all the changes in the lineup.”

Last night, the Ladies tied 1-1 against Otterbein University at home. The Ladies begin conference play Sept. 28 at home against DePauw University.

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