CHESTERTOWN — Dickinson’s only shot on goal Saturday night found the back of the net, spoiling the Centennial Conference opener for host Washington.
The Red Devils (5-1-1) prevailed, 1-0, behind stellar net-minding from Sophia Kavulich, who stopped all seven Shore ladies’ shots on frame.
Washington lost for the first time after opening the season with two wins followed by four consecutive ties.
The sides traded shots in the first half, six apiece.
Freshman Madison Mobray’s shot from the top of the box in the 40th minute — the Red Devils’ fifth shot of the half — eluded Washington keeper Olivia Allen, and would prove to be the difference in the match.
Washington would get the final shot before intermission and nine more in the second half, but could not solve Kavulich.
The locals had several legitimate scoring chances in the second half: Reagan Longridge in the 47th minute, Kaileigh Brady’s header off a Bridget Whiteside pass into the box off a free kick in the 48th minute, Maddy Gaydon’s attempt to flick in the ball off a cross from Sophie Kilbride in the 52nd minute and Brady again in the 53rd minute after carrying the ball deep into Red Devil territory — all denied by Kavulich.
Washington (2-1-4) finished with a 15-9 advantage in shots, which included 9-3 over the final 45 minutes.
NEXT UP: The Shore ladies travel to Bryn Mawr on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 25 for another conference match.
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Two-time defending champion Johns Hopkins is favored to three-peat, according to a preseason poll of the Centennial Conference’s head women’s soccer coaches.
The Blue Jays grabbed 10 possible first-place votes and 100 points. (Coaches cannot vote for their own team.)
Swarthmore and McDaniel landed in a tie for second place in the coaches poll, each receiving 83 points, with the Garnet collecting the remaining first-place vote.
Franklin & Marshall was close behind in fourth with 79 points, followed by Dickinson (63) and Gettysburg (54) in the top six as projected playoff teams.
Washington (42) was picked to finish seventh, with Haverford (34), Ursinus (30), Muhlenberg (26) and Bryn Mawr (11) rounding out the voting.