On Nov. 6, the Kenyon women’s soccer team competed in the NCAC semifinals against John Carroll University in University Heights. Despite dominating in possession, the Owls lost the match in a heartbreaking 1-0 final score. The result marks the end of Kenyon’s 2025 season.

The Blue Streaks controlled the first 17 minutes of play, registering seven shots before the Owls could even find one. Goalkeeper Ariel Kite ’27 made several crucial saves, keeping Kenyon alive and spurring the Owls on the counterattack. Kenyon responded with two shots from Claire Pruner ’28 and one from Addison Szollosi ’29, all missing wide and high. Both sides were then caught in a stalemate without another shot taken until 10 minutes later by Emily Copeland ’28, which was saved by John Carroll’s goalkeeper. 

The second half saw a continued back and forth of offensive play. The Owls, however, maintained possession throughout and desperately attempted to take the lead. After two unsuccessful corner kicks for the Owls, John Carroll finally broke through the strong defensive unit. With less than 10 minutes remaining in the game, the Blue Streaks found the back of the net to go up 1-0, putting Kenyon in a make-or-break situation. Determined to stay alive in tournament play, the Owls fought with all their strength to score and tie the match, but to no avail. Kenyon wrapped up its season with a final record of 9-4-5 (3-3-2 NCAC). 

Anna Taggart ’26 believed that the game could’ve gone either way. “You could feel the pressure from both teams throughout the match, and their goal in the last ten minutes was a good one, that’s just how the game goes sometimes,” she wrote in an email to the Collegian. “If we had a little more time, I really believe we would have gotten a goal back.”

Despite the heartbreaking finish, the team was proud of the steps they took to improve on their previous years of play. “This season was a culmination of the hard work we’ve been doing since the end of last season,” Brooke Heis ’26 wrote in an email to the Collegian. “This season, we went undefeated at home, and we were never scored on at home. At the beginning of the season, we were projected to finish last in the league. Making the playoffs meant everything to me. Making the playoffs meant proving everyone wrong.” Taggart echoed a similar sentiment. “This team has pushed me, supported me and shaped who I am today. I’m most proud of how we never stopped fighting, no matter what people expected of us,” she said.

“I have grown so much as a player and a leader over my four years,” Heis said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve a pivotal role in shaping the future of [the women’s soccer team] and to play a role in our record-breaking season this year.”