Koalas Drop Thrilling Contest Against Lady Eagles

Despite their second best offensive output of the year, the Columbia College Koalas soccer team dropped a mesmerizing contest against the visiting Reinhardt Lady Eagles, 6-5, during homecoming on Saturday afternoon at Younts Soccer Stadium.

The Koalas could not have asked for a better start to the game, as they took the lead within the first fifteen seconds.  Charlotte Daniels latched onto a pass from Ruby Hallam and poked a shot past the Eagles goalkeeper to make it 1-0 with the fastest goal in program history.

Reinhardt would respond quickly, however, going 2-1 up after just five minutes, but the Koalas answered again at the eleven minute mark.  Hallam again was the provider as she took a pass from Heather Blaszak and squared it across goal to Daniels, who knocked in her second goal of the match and third of the year.

The Eagles added another goal before halftime, before making it 4-2 minutes after the break, and seemingly putting the contest out of reach. 

The Koalas would not go down easy, however, as Hallam added a goal of her own to take her tall for the season to double figures.  Madeline Matusik's free kick flew over the Eagles back line and Hallam jumped to flick a header past the goalkeeper to cut the deficit to one with the score at 4-3 to Reinhardt.

The Eagles extended the lead to two again minutes later, but the Koalas continued to fight, with Bailey Lewter heading in a corner from Hallam to make it 5-4.  After the Eagles made it 6-4, Lewter again finished a corner from Hallam, this time with a volley to make it 6-5 to Reinhardt.  Despite a flurry of chances at both ends in the dying minutes, neither team added to the scoreline, and the Eagles held on for a thrilling 6-5 victory.

Columbia plays again on Tuesday evening at 7PM when they host St. Andrews University.

Bailey Lewter, Sophomore, had two goals in the contest against Reinhardt.