In their season opener, Waynesburg University women’s soccer team suffered a road loss at the hands of University of Mount Union. Despite creating a flurry of offensive opportunities in the final minutes, the Yellow Jackets were unable to find the back of the net, ultimately coming up short on the wrong end of a tightly contested non-conference match with a final score of 1-0. 

Waynesburg controlled possession through extended stretches of the opening half and generated  consistent pressure early, but difficulty placing shots on target left key opportunities unfulfilled.  Mount Union seized control late in the first half and capitalized early in the second, scoring off a  brief defensive lapse to break the deadlock and secure the game’s decisive tally. 

“When you don’t finish your chances, you’re going to come up on the wrong end sometimes. But  when we played with a sense of urgency, we played a really good brand of soccer,” head coach George DeAugustino said.  

Waynesburg dominated the final 15 minutes of play, keeping the ball pinned almost exclusively in Mount Union’s defensive third. Central midfielder Amanda Sweeney controlled the tempo in the middle of the pitch, while forwards Julz Mohrbacher and Amanda Pepe generated multiple high-quality scoring looks up top. Freshman Katie Zaktansky also delivered an impressive collegiate debut. 

The team is not hanging their heads on this loss. 

“This is an extremely driven team that never backs down. We held possession most of the first  half… execution is next. We know one game is not going to define our season, but it’s how we  respond and bounce back in our future matches,” defender Waverly Lorne said.  

With 31 returning players and eight incoming freshmen, the roster boasts exceptional continuity.  Led by team captains Waverly Lorne, Julz Mohrbacher, and Abby Ngugi, the Yellow Jackets  view this road challenge as a vital stepping stone. With an abbreviated non-conference slate of  just two weeks before PAC play begins, the squad will focus on sustaining urgency across all 90  minutes as they prepare for their upcoming matches.

The Yellow Jackets take on Dickinson College at 4 p.m. today before heading to Susquehanna University tomorrow for a 7 p.m. game.