Howard women’s soccer made program history last week, securing their first Northeast Conference (NEC) tournament championship title Sunday afternoon at Greene Stadium.
The Bison staved off a late push by Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) on Nov. 10, earning a 2-1 victory and securing an NCAA tournament berth.
The all-important go-ahead goal came within just 20 seconds of the Bison gaining possession in the second half after a Knights goal, as midfielder Kyra Bolden made her way down the left side of the field, cut inside and made a shot that landed in the right side of the net.
The team will face the No. 1 seeded Duke Blue Devils Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. in Durham, North Carolina, in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The senior psychology major from McLean, Virginia, was happy to secure a goal for the Bison and credited her teammates for making it possible.
“It’s never one person that gets the job done, so it feels good, but it also wouldn’t have happened without the 10 other players on the field,” she said.
The match was scoreless until the 42nd minute, which saw sophomore midfielder Samantha James put the Bison on the board as she maneuvered the ball outside of the Knights goalkeeper’s reach, guiding it into the bottom right corner of the net.
James’ goal was supported by midfielder Zoe Moore and NEC Tournament MVP and forward Melea Earley. Moore whipped the ball from the right side within approximately 30 yards of the goal while Earley navigated through the Knights’ defense, connecting with James in the process.
Despite the one goal the Knights were able to score, Bison goalkeeper Trinity “Fort” Knox made a handful of diving saves, stopping multiple goal attempts made by the Knights. Knox’s defensive skills did not go unnoticed, as she was named NEC Goalkeeper of the Year.
The sophomore sports medicine major from Atlanta was content with her performance.
“I think I did what I needed to do to get the win,” she said.
As the second half came to a close, eyes were glued to the scoreboard, watching to see if another goal would be scored by the Knights or if the Bison would take the win.
When the clock reached zero, Bison fans could be seen running on the field to commemorate the historic and long-awaited win for the women’s soccer program.
“Our motto is to restore the order, and the order is now restored,” Head Coach Brent Leiba said. “It’s time to go make some noise down in the NCAA tournament.”
Copy edited by Jalyn Lovelady
