Against a Wilmington team that won the Ohio Athletic Conference last season and advanced to the NCAA tournament, Franklin women's soccer struggled in dealing with the Quakers' talent and physicality in the opening minutes.
The second half was a very different story.
The Grizzlies fought valiantly to crawl out of an early two-goal deficit, pushing the Quakers through the final whistle, but ultimately came up short in a 2-1 battle.
"A tale of two halves, for sure," Franklin coach
Jennifer Jackson said. "You can't spot a team two goals and expect to dig out of that hole consistently — but I'm really proud of the way they came back in the second half. It was two completely different teams, two different games. ... The fight in this group is really encouraging."
Wilmington struck quickly, pulling ahead just 2:20 into the match when a 20-yard shot from Jordan Snyder rocketed off the bottom of the crossbar and caromed down just across the goal line. The margin doubled six minutes later when the Quakers converted off a corner kick. The visitors outshot the Grizzlies 10-3 in the first half, and it took five saves from junior goalkeeper
Emma Watson — including a jaw-dropper or two — to keep the game within reach.
In the second half, Franklin (2-2) found its footing, with
Amirah Curry putting a shot on goal in the 53rd minute that signaled more coming pressure. Then, with just under 20 minutes left, the Grizzlies found the back of the net, converting a set piece for the second straight match.
Senior
Emma Myers sent a strong corner kick into the box, and freshman
Mylee McAdams — who had just subbed back into the match — came in like a wrecking ball and punched it home, drawing the home side back within one.
That goal energized the Griz, who remained on the attack for most of the remaining time. Their best chance at an equalizer came in the 80th minute, when junior
Aaniylah Reese put a shot on target that was saved.
The Quakers did not have a shot on goal in the second half.
Jackson credited her team with changing its mentality in the second half and getting more aggressive.
"Tactically, we were the same," she said. "It was really all them."
Franklin travels north to face St. Mary's College on Saturday afternoon.
