WILMINGTON – Caravel’s soccer team took a little while to get untracked on April 19 against Ursuline, but a goal late in the first half served as a springboard to a 3-1 win at Serviam Field. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Buccaneers.
The Raiders controlled the early going against Caravel, getting a pair of shots on Bucs keeper Sydney Keld in the first seven minutes, but neither team could put together a serious offensive opportunity. The best chance for either squad came in the 15th minute, when Ursuline’s Allison Olmstead sent a shot off the far post to the left of Keld.
Raiders keeper Alexandra Popham kept the game scoreless with a leaping stop of a blast by Gabriella Marte in the 21st minute, but the Buccaneers steadily took control of the possession. Twice, the Bucs’ Samantha Cooper drove to the baseline to Popham’s left and sent a cross into the crease, only to have the Raiders clear the ball.
The game’s first corner kick, in the 32nd minute, proved beneficial for Caravel. Nicole Rankin played the ball from the corner out to Marte. She dribbled briefly to gain some space, wound up and sent a shot to the far side, off the post and into the net. Cooper missed high on a subsequent corner kick, and the Bucs’ lead was 1-0 at intermission.
Caravel added two goals in two minutes midway through the second half, digging a hole for Ursuline that the Raiders could not escape, and Summer Stewart scored both of them. In the 53rd minute, she intercepted a goal kick at the top of the 18-yard box and deposited a shot. Two minutes later, she took a pass from Hailey Ward and found the upper 90.
Ursuline avoided a shutout when Jessica Falasco scored in the 76th minute. Gabriella Kendus earned the assist.
The Buccaneers had 12 shots to the Raiders’ seven, and they recorded three corner kicks to one for Ursuline. Keld had six saves for Caravel, which improved to 4-2. The Bucs host Sussex Tech on Tuesday at 5 p.m., then welcome Padua, the top team in Division I, next Friday at 6 p.m.
Popham had nine saves for the Raiders, who are 1-5-1. They take on St. Mark’s at Serviam Field on Monday at 3:45 p.m.
