Ask St. Joseph’s Head Coach Jessica Reynolds who deserved to win the match Friday night between her squad and the host Dayton Flyers and she’d probably say the Hawks, and who could blame her considering they dominating the contest in the 65 minutes between both Flyer goals. But God-given soccer ability and a little timing came through for the Flyers in an otherwise forgettable performance as Dayton snuck past an average SJU squad 2-1 Friday night in the bitter cold temperatures of Baujan Field. Dayton improves to 10-5 (8-0) on the year and, by virtue of Richmond’s 2-0 victory over UMass, sit alone atop the A-10 conference standings.

Those who follow soccer will tell you a team can play magnificent and lose or completely mail it in and somehow snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. While the Flyers certainly weren’t at their best and weren’t at their very worst, it was closer to the latter for much of the contest as SJU simply took it to a team seemingly more concerned about the cold weather than winning a soccer game. When you play for Dayton, every opponent in the A-10 circles you on the schedule. Friday night was a great example.

It didn’t start out that way however as Dayton jumped on the board early when Kara Kenney cleaned up a scramble in the Hawk penalty box for the first score of the match. Up 1-0 in the 11th minute, everything seemed to be headed in Dayton’s favor, but the goal turned out to be a bad omen as UD eased on the gas, tapped the brakes, and let the Hawks move right by them. The remainder of the first half came to an uneventful conclusion as both sides had few opportunities to score, but the mere fact that Dayton, with a bench more talented than SJU’s starting rotation, couldn’t take control of the game turned into fan frustration on the Baujan Field terrace. Head Coach Mike Tucker took several moments to discuss the first 45 minutes privately with his coaching staff before heading into the lockers with the players.

Clinging to a 1-0 halftime lead, Dayton had the chance to turn it up and demonstrate who the boss hog in the Atlantic-10 was, but it wasn’t to be and things progressively got worse. When the circumstances called for a leaping header, a UD player turned their back. When a tough slide tackle was necessary, an outstretched foot was all that was there. While the bitter cold made play uncomfortable to say the least, SJU had to battle the same elements and had no trouble busting chops and winning all the loose balls. It finally paid off for the Hawks in the 54th minute when a scramble in the Flyer box wasn’t cleared and Kim Miller pounded it in from point blank range to even the score at 1-1.

The SJU bench, already vocal since the start of the second half, turned into a rowdy cheering section for the remainder of the game while the Flyer bench sat motionless in their fiberglass bubble on the sidelines.

From that point on, SJU looked good enough to add another goal and steal the game. Dayton turned the juice up briefly after the score, but moments later the Hawks were at it again and on the loose for quick counter attacks that looked promising.

Then, from the sidelines, Coach Tucker summoned his team with the motto GK Steph Weisenfeld talked about just this week in her latest Athlete Diary submission. “Come on blue, whatever it takes!” Tucker yelled, and slowly but surely Dayton responded to their feisty leader.

The Flyers had chances but couldn’t connect, that is, until sweeper Erin Showalter picked up a loose ball in the SJU box and blasted it home from 10yds out in the 77th minute. The goal turned out to be the eventual game winner and was Showalter’s first goal of her career.

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good and while Dayton stepped it up in the late stages of the match, perhaps luck comes to those who are most prepared to accept it.

SJU dominated the loose ball category and had their way in the middle of the field for much of the game. The Flyers couldn’t string more than three or four balls together before an errant pass or defensive pressure turned things sour. While the Hawks were Flying, the Flyer feet were anchored in cement, at least for the middle 60 minutes of the game. In spite of all this, senior Sarah Walker was a beacon of light all game and tried to inspire her team. Walker, the diminutive 5-2 bulldog who scraps and claws her way for everything, did all she could on the flanks and in the middle of the field to jumpstart the Flyers. In the easiest call of the year, Sarah Walker runs away with the UDPride Player of the Game.

Why so much doom and gloom when the Flyers bring home a victory? Doom and gloom no, but frustration perhaps. UD shouldn’t give up goals to inferior teams like SJU, or get pushed around in their own doghouse for that matter. But let’s also be realistic. The Flyers have won eight in a row and have conceded just a goal in the last six matches. On top of that, UMass dropped their first conference game of the season Friday night, pushing Dayton into sole possession of first place in the A-10. By virtue of Dayton’s victory Friday night, they also qualified for their 6th consecutive A-10 postseason tournament and bumped their conference winning streak to 16 games along with their home winning streak to 16 matches as well. That’s downright impressive no matter how they played against the Hawks.

With one home match remaining on Sunday afternoon, it’s a curtain call for seniors Bridget Bushman, Sarah Walker, and Megan McKnight of sorts. It’s also a series of lasts. The last time they hear their name called in front of their family, the last time they stand for the national anthem, and the last time they grin with anticipation of a kickoff at Baujan Field. They want to make it a day to remember, but so does everyone on the team. It’s a chance to go undefeated at home this year and continue 2001’s dramatic season when many uninformed fans gave them little chance for success, nevermind an opportunity to run the table in the conference. Perhaps Friday night’s game shakes the team a bit and readies them for the final battle at the Brickhouse. What they’ll remember most is slipping into the Flyer jersey one last time and doing honor to the colors they proudly wear in front of the home fans. With that carries a burden to live up to the expectations those before them helped establish. A complete and utter destruction of Temple Sunday afternoon would erase Friday’s struggle and put an exclamation point on the home schedule. Dayton has yet to pepper the nets with a scoring onslaught this year, but Sunday may be the day as emotions run high.