No. 20 women’s soccer is gearing up for Crossroads League play after going 6-1-1 in their non-conference slate.
The Trojans outscored their opponents 25-5 in that period. Taylor scored a season high of eight goals against St. Mary-Woods on Sept. 9 and the junior goalkeeper duo of Ava Callaway and Marisa Reinhard have contributed five shutouts.
Senior forward Leah McQuade leads the team with six goals in non-conference play.
Forwards Lauryn Dolvin, a freshman, and Lydia Bailey, a junior, have facilitated play all season for the Trojans. Together they share the lead the team in assists with four apiece entering into conference play.
Head coach Scott Stan, who is in his 19th year with the program, said he is pleased with both how his young team is playing and the chemistry the team has built. Stan is starting five freshmen, which is the most he’s started during his tenure at Taylor.
“With our closeness and culture, we find that we can compete with anyone, and do well,” Stan said.
The team had an eventful last two games before beginning CL competition. The Trojans made a trip to Madonna on Sept. 12, a game in which they led 2-1 and dominated possession for nearly 80 minutes.
However, the purple and gray conceded two goals late in the game and could not find the equalizer, suffering their first loss of the season 3-2.
Taylor then returned home to face Campbellsville on Sept. 16. The teams were tied 1–1 at the half before Campbellsville found the back of the net for their second goal early in the second half.
It looked like the Tigers were going to hang on, but Taylor refused to back down. In the 81st minute, senior defender Campbell Massey sent a free kick toward the goal that was deflected by a Campbellsville defender into the net to level the score.
However, a tie was not sufficient for the Trojans. With under two minutes to play, they were granted a corner kick, and Bailey sent the kick into a crowded box. Sophomore midfielder Reagan Britt came away with the ball and knocked it into the goal to give Taylor the 3-2 victory, a reverse outcome of the preceding loss against Madonna.
“We had a lot of energy and we were producing a lot of good opportunities,” Britt said. “And even though they weren’t going in yet, everyone was very much like, ‘It’s gonna come, it’s gonna happen.’ We had full confidence that we were gonna get those goals.”
Taylor now sets their sights on CL play, which, according to Stan, is one of the top conferences in the NAIA.
The Trojans are set to play four ranked CL opponents, including four ranked inside the Top 25: No. 2 Marian, No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 7 Grace and No. 16 Spring Arbor.
“I think we have a really, really good chance of making the tournament,” Stan said. “We just have to beat the teams that we’re supposed to beat, and then get one or two really good results against a Grace or an IWU, which is clearly doable.”
The Trojans kicked off the CL part of their schedule against Bethel, taking the Pilots down 2-0 for their first conference victory.
They then played a very tight game against rival No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan, which resulted in a 1-1 draw. The tie ended a three-game losing streak against the Wildcats, and was the first time Taylor scored a goal against the rival since 2020.
This Trojan team looks to be the first in program history to compete in the NAIA National Championship in consecutive years.
“There’s just been a different mindset and energy at practice because we got a taste of it last year, and we know what it’s like,” said junior midfielder Faith Sena. “Just having that in the back thought of every practice that we have a goal that we’re striving for and if somebody is off, we’re gonna make sure they’re back on.”
The team heads to Marian on Oct. 10, starting a three-game stretch on the road before returning home for their final two games at Turner Stadium starting on Oct. 24 as they face off against Huntington at 1 p.m.
