The first chill winds of fall kept the fans bundled in layers, but the heat on the field was nearly palpable.On Oct. 19, the Guilford women’s soccer team played a tough game against Virginia Wesleyan, a team ranked 20th nationally and first in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Unfortunately, a strong showing from the Quakers in the first half shook Wesleyan out of their complacency, but a late goal in the second half by Wesleyan ended a neck-and-neck game.

The Quakers were off to a rough start when Wesleyan forward Courtney Whorten scored the first goal seven minutes into the game.

Undaunted, Guilford mounted a thorough defensive effort and managed to push the ball back into Wesleyan territory.

The Quakers managed several great headers that kept the ball on the Marlins’ half. A cross into the Quaker’s penalty box was headed away effectively by sophomore defender Kristyn Melanson.

Senior midfielder Lauren Baber kept the ball from crossing the midfield line by beating Wesleyan players and keeping the pressure on the Marlins’ half of the field. Baber was a defensive wall; heading down balls and intercepting Wesleyan passes with tips, and with quick touches, she left her opponents scrambling for ball control.

With a little over 20 minutes remaining in the first half, junior forward Jada Daniel scored a header goal off of sophomore forward Jackie D’Orsaneo’s free kick, ending Wesleyan’s seven-game shutout streak.

The play brought cheering Guilford fans to their feet and injected new energy into the team. Daniel’s fourth goal of the year is only the fifth goal given up by Wesleyan this season. D’Orsaneo’s free kick brought her season assists total to eight.

Equal give-and-take from both teams characterized the rest of the half, as a battle for ball control raged back and forth over the midfield line.

Several intense exchanges occurred along the sidelines, with both teams struggling to wrest control of the ball for a breakaway play. Guilford players did their best to keep the ball along the sidelines while waiting for an opportunity to cross the ball deep into Wesleyan territory. When in danger, Guilford defenders wisely put the ball out of bounds to create time for the team to regroup.

Wesleyan, confounded by Quaker ball control, stepped up the pressure in the second half. Guilford nearly took another goal 15 minutes into the half, when Daniel attempted another header off of D’Orsaneo’s cross. Unfortunately, Daniel could not get behind the ball, and the header bounced backed into Wesleyan control.

Senior keeper Amber Stapler stood firm as Wesleyan relentlessly hammered the Quaker defense. Stapler stopped a handful of breakaway attempts by Wesleyan forwards and made a dramatic save off a corner kick, leaping into the air and punching the ball out of danger.

Wesleyan’s sustained energy proved to be overwhelming, however, and Wesleyan forward Jerilyn Sweeney scored on a breakaway play with fifteen minutes remaining. Sweeney played a long dribble that led Stapler wide of the goal, and then beat the Quaker keeper to the ball for the final goal of the game.

Though the Quakers redoubled their efforts, the Marlins applied offensive defense strategy and kept the ball firmly over the Quaker’s midfield line. Not content to win by one, Wesleyan forwards worked to widen their lead, but to no avail.

Although the game resulted in a loss, head coach Eric Lewis was happy with the way his team played.

“We came out hard, put pressure on them, and it’s the first time we’ve really come together well as a team,” Lewis said. “It’s definitely the best game we’ve fielded against any opponent this season.”

“We were definitely the underdog,” said captain and senior Amanda Sperr. “We had a shot at winning, but it didn’t work out like we wanted.”

Nevertheless, Sperr has nothing but confidence in her teammates.

“I think we’re seeing the late season peak in performance. Wesleyan’s a nationally ranked team, and we played really well against them.” Sperr expects that by playoffs, the Quakers will be ready to take Wesleyan down.

The Marlins were definitely sweating this encounter. If the Quakers continue to improve their game, it might be a chilly end for Wesleyan come playoffs.