The Emory University Women's Soccer Team suffered a narrow loss in its first contest of the 2013 University Athletic Association (UAA) season, as the seventh-ranked Eagles fell to the third-ranked Washington University (Mo.) Bears 1-0 at the Woodruff Physical Education Center on Sunday.
Despite taking the loss, the Eagles played tough throughout the contest, outshooting Washington 15-10, including a 9-5 edge in shots on goal, and a 7-3 advantage in total shots in the second half.
The lone goal came early in the game, when Washington capitalized on a corner kick in the 16th minute of action. Becky Berels took the corner, sending it into the six-yard box, where Kate Doyle was able to head it home for her fourth goal of the campaign.
Both teams would play even for the remainder of the half, with Emory holding slight advantages in both shots (8-7) and shots on goal (5-3).
The defensive battle would continue into the second half, but the nationally second-ranked Washington defense would hold tight, keeping the Eagles off the board to secure the victory. Bears' goalkeeper Amy French made nine saves in the shutout effort, Washington's ninth clean sheet through ten games this season.
Emory goalkeeper Liz Arnold made three stops on the day, but ultimately took the loss to fall to 6-2-1 on the season.
Senior Clare Mullins started the game for Emory, and in doing so, matched Amy Williams' (1994-97) school record with her 77th career start. Mullins, who is now also four games played shy of the school record, has started every Emory game during her four-year career as an Eagle.
Emory now stands at 7-3-1 overall for the season, and 0-1-0 in UAA play. The loss ended the Eagles' 27-match undefeated streak at the Woodruff P.E. Center, matching the longest home undefeated streak in the program's history, and the 17th-longest in the history of NCAA Division III Women's Soccer. Washington improved to 9-1-0 (1-0-0 UAA) with the victory.
The Eagles will look rebound on the road next weekend, when the squad continues its UAA schedule at the University of Chicago at 2:30 PM ET on Saturday, October 12th.