Winthrop women’s soccer team debuts in local tournament

By David Thackham

thackhamd@mytjnow.com

Forward Courtney Durbin attacks Belmont players during the second half of the 3-1 victory. Winthrop out-shot the Crusaders 10-2 with five shots on goal. Photo by David Thackham • thackhamd@mytjnow.comThe Winthrop women’s soccer team showed no signs of rust from their conference-winning 2010 season, defeating the Belmont Abbey Crusaders 3-1 in an exhibition game on Friday. Courtney Durbin opened the scoring before Lia Gordon and Kylene Babauta chipped in sublime goals to allow the Eagles to coast in the closing half. The preseason friendly was part of Winthrop’s involvement in the Lowe’s Manchester Cup.

“It’s a great event,” said head coach Spencer Smith. “It’s always good to win wherever. You want to play well and win at the same time, and that’s what we’re trying to improve.”

A brisk, sunny afternoon set the scene as the women’s squad controlled the early possession through left-winger Babauta. Coming off a season-ending ACL tear, the redshirt freshman ruled the tempo and kept the ball pushed back in the Crusader half. 

The pressure paid off 14 minutes in as Durbin wriggled into the penalty box, juking a pair of Belmont defenders before unleashing a low drive to set the Eagles up nicely 1-0. 

“It was a good confidence builder,” the forward said, “It felt really good to score early.”

The Eagles had been concerned with their defensive strength coming into the contest, following the tough injury and loss of defender Ann Lutzenkirchen. 

“It was a big downer; she [Lutzenkirchen] was a strong part of our team,” Durbin said, “but we pulled a couple of people that don’t typically play that position and tried that.”

 The moves turned out to work perfectly fine for Winthrop. The Crusaders got off only two shots the entire game with just one on target compared to the Eagles’ 10 (six shots on goal). 

Winthrop bore down on the visiting Crusaders in the firsrt half befor allowng Belmont Abbey to convert an early penalty kick in the closing stage. The Eagles wll begin their regular season play in August. Photo by David Thackham • thackhamd@mytjnow.comWinthrop’s lead only grew as the game progressed. Midfielder Rachel Webster rescued a wayward free kick to knock the ball down for the awaiting Gordon to slot home within the 6-yard box on 19 minutes. However, Babauta stole the show with a brilliant effort seven minutes later, effectively finishing off the Crusaders. The diminutive midfielder settled the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box before curling a pinpoint shot across the goal to the goalkeeper’s left, leaving Abbey goalkeeper Deborah Noga stranded.

“Ky[lene] is really coming along,” Smith said. “She’s even a bit improved from last year and because she’s smaller, she’s got a good soccer build.” 

Winthrop let up the attack going into the break, where Smith made some minor adjustments. The 4-3-3 (four defenders, three mid-fielders, and three forwards) formation the team flourished with in 2010 was replaced in favor of a 4-4-2 lineup with the midfielders in the shape of a diamond. Babauta led the diamond, acting as an offensive link up to forwards Durbin and Webster. This move perhaps tips Smith’s hand on the impact Babauta will play this upcoming fall season. 

Freshman defender Holly Brooks contributed to the game’s only blemish for Winthrop in the 55th minute as she bundled over Belmont junior Connie Axiotis in the box, leading the officials to signal a penalty for the Crusaders. Axiotis calmly converted the spot kick, but Belmont Abbey provided no other attacking threat for during the game.

Winthrop thought they would add to their convincing scoreline a minute before the end of regulation, but a good link up between Tianna Tallant and Rebecca Hamm was denied by the Abbey defense before Tallant could squeak out a shot. 

“We’re trying not to slow down as a team,” Durbin said. 

Although the competition is four years old, this year’s competition marks the first year women’s sides have been invited to play. Appalachian State and Gardner-Webb University joined Winthrop and Belmont Abbey in the inaugural event.