Cards Got the Job Done With Game-Winning Goals from Elena Bertocci '09 & Hillary Biggs '12

Elena Bertocci '09 (#25, main photo) converted a nifty give-and-go with Dasha Battelle '11 in the 39th minute to score the lone goal of the contest and Wesleyan's pair of goalies, Clare Colton '12 (#0, photo insert upper right) and Andrea Giuliano '09 (#30, photo insert lower right) needed to make just one save between them (Giuliano got it in the second half) in posting the 1-0 win at Colby Sat., Oct. 4. The squad tacked on a 2-1 victory at R.I.C. Wed., Oct. 8 as Hillary Biggs '12 caught up to a though pass from Sam Blank '09 to score the deciding goal in the 56th minute. Another great corner kick by Taylor Stevenson '10 to Cora Lautze '11 gave Wesleyan the initial 1-0 lead. Colton again came up with a half of shutout ball, making four stops over the final 45 minutes to get the win. With six wins (6-1-1) on the season already, the Cardinals have equaled their highest win total in a season since going 6-7-1 in 1997 and the four shutouts by the squad equals the most ever through eight games, accomplished by the 1993 squad. That team also started the year 6-1-1, which stands as the team's best record after eight games. 

The Cardinals, who are tied for ninth in the New England Division III poll of Oct. 14 after reaching as high as eighth the week before, were back on the NESCAC trail Sat., Oct. 11 with its stiffest challenge of the year, taking on the country's only undefeated and untied Division III team, top-ranked Williams College. The Ephs outshot the Cardinals, 27-6, and captured a 3-0 decision. It also gave Williams a leg up in the Little Three chase this season. Wesleyan had similar difficulty Sat., Oct 18 during Homecoming/Family Weekend festivities when it hosted ninth-ranked nationally Amherst. The Lord Jeffs moved out to a 3-0 halftime lead and captured a 4-1 win for their 15 straight game vs. the Cardinals without a loss (14-0-1). Sam Blank '09 had the Cardinal goal in the 47th minute. Wesleyan was right back on the pitch Sun., Oct. 19 taking on Tufts, ranked fifth in New England, in Medford, Mass. The Jumbos came away with a 3-0 win, their eighth in the last nine meetings with the Cardinals. Tufts scored twice in the first half and added another in the second as the shots were 12-7 in Tufts' favor, and 8-4 in shots on goal. The Cardinals head to Bates Sat., Oct 25 for their next game. Last year, Wesleyan defeated Bates, 2-0, to breal a seven-year losing streak to the Bobcats.