Griffin's Goal, Caster's Saves Help Scots Earn Draw

Monmouth starts season with 1-1 Draw

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (08/31/2024) — The Monmouth College women's soccer team began the 2024 season with a 1-1 home draw against Edgewood College.

"We knew Edgewood would look to shoot early and often and I thought we did a great job of limiting their quality chances," said head coach Lucas Henderson. "I was very pleased with how tirelessly we worked from end to end."

Monmouth had the best chance to score early as freshman Jackie Contreras (Peoria, Illinois) sent a free kick over the wall. The Eagles goalkeeper kept the game scoreless with a comfortable save at the post. Monmouth keeper Anna Caster (Greenfield, Indiana) made eight saves in the first half, including a couple acrobatic saves.

The game was scoreless at halftime and continued that way for the first 13 minutes of the second half. Danielle Beach (Geneseo, Illinois) broke away from the Eagles defense down the right side and moved into the box. A perfect cross into the goal mouth set up Allison Griffin (Geneseo, Illinois) for the first goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

The high Eagles responded three minutes later with a very similar goal that gave Caster no chance at a save. Both teams pushed for a late winner but neither came through with a deciding goal. Edgewood hit the post on a great chance and Contreras had another free kick sail just wide.

"Anna was great for us tonight with 15 saves and Avery put in a massive shift on defense," said Henderson. "I think this is a promising start for us."

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots started five freshman with Contreras, Mylee Hansen (Pekin, Illinois), Nylea Cruz (Silvia, Illinois), Kiersten Medlinger (Silvis, Illinois) and Taylor Freeman (Washington, Illinois) in the starting XI ... Caylee Duncan (Metamora, Illinois), Maya Duncan (Metamora, Illinois), Mariah Hobson (Princeton, Illinois), Audrey Reidner (Bloomington, Illinois) and Yoselim Hernandez (Monmouth, Illinois) also made their collegiate debuts ... Caster made 15 saves, two off her career high ... Caster and Avery Parks (Bloomington, Illinois) played all 90 minutes ... The Scots used 20 players on Friday ... Beach led the team and the Midwest Conference with nine assists last year as a freshman ... The teams met for the first time ever last season with Edgewood winning at home 4-2 ... The Scots are in action Sunday at Buena Vista in Storm Lake, Iowa ... Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. or 30 minutes after the men's game between the same two teams.

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