Box Score

COLUMBUS – The Capital University women's soccer team put itself in a position to win Saturday but couldn't quite get over the hump in a 2-1 setback against Case Western Reserve in non-conference action at Bernlohr Stadium.

With the loss, the Crusaders (5-4 overall) saw their three-match winning streak end and suffered their third one-goal defeat of the season.

The Spartans (4-2-2), a perennial contender in the University Athletic Association (UAA), tallied twice in a one-minute, 15-second span in the first half to take a 2-0 lead and held on in blustery, cool conditions at Bernlohr.

"We knew that Case is a very good program, and they've had a couple of tough results lately, but we knew they would be prepared," Capital coach Chris Kouns said. "For about a 10-minute span, we allowed their midfielders to have some freedom, and that freedom hurt us."

Just over a minute after Case's second tally, junior defender Lauren Roy (Toledo, Ohio; at right) halved the deficit with a header into the upper corner of the net. Freshman Mariah Richards (Canton, Ohio), whose free kick set up Roy's second goal of the year, earned the assist. 

"I thought Lauren Roy showed some resilience," Kouns said. "She had a bit of a tough ball on Case's first goal, but turned around and gets a goal."

The two teams traded chances throughout the rest of the contest, but neither found the back of the net again. The Spartans finished with advantages in shots (12-6) and corner kicks (4-1). The Crusaders were charged with 15 fouls, compared to eight for Case.

Junior goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan (Cincinnati, Ohio) posted eight saves.

"I think we played well enough to have gotten a result, at least a tie, but we weren't very good in the final third," Kouns said. "Hopefully we'll continue to play well enough to win, or continue to give ourselves the opportunity to win, and we'll take advantage of it."

Capital concludes non-conference play Monday at Hanover. Match time is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Hanover, Ind.