Solid Week for Women’s Soccer
Lady Cougars Performing Well
The Lady Cougars soccer team had a busy three-game week to kick off October. Holyoke earned two shutout victories with a loss to a Division I powerhouse sandwiched in between. The Cougars defeated regional opponent Quinsigamond CC by a 10-0 score on Tuesday and beat SUNY Adirondack CC 8-0 on Saturday. Thursday saw the Cougars lose for just the third time this season as they faced ASA College NY, a highly skilled team whose school offers athletic scholarships.
In their victories, The Cougars' offense was spearheaded once again by leading scorer Cassidy Snyder (Holyoke, MA / Smith Academy) who tallied a hat trick on Tuesday before topping that with a four-goal game on Saturday. Snyder has a remarkable 24 goals in 14 games and is just one goal away from matching the HCC women's soccer program's all-time record for goals in a season. Shannon McCarthy (Chicopee, MA / Chicopee Comprehensive HS) was exceptional in all three of the Cougars' games this week, shinning defensively as Holyoke's strongest player in Thursday's loss. McCarthy scored twice and had an assist on Tuesday and added a goal and an assist on Saturday. Emma Gomes (Ludlow, MA / Ludlow HS) scored a penalty kick goal Tuesday and had four assists in Holyoke's two wins, including three from corner kicks. Captains Allison Zollo (Monson, MA / Monson HS) and McKenzie Wilson (South Hadley, MA / Smith Academy) each scored once against Quinsigamond before each tallied a goal and an assist against Adirondack. Madison Zollo (Monson, MA / Monson HS) scored her first collegiate goal on Tuesday and Tamara Nicholson (Chicopee, MA / Chicopee HS) found the back of the net on Saturday. Goalkeeper Maddisin Atkinson (Easthampton, MA / Smith Vocational HS) earned a shutout in both of the Cougars' wins, giving her eight this season while splitting the team's ninth shutout with a teammate. In addition, Atkinson made a great save on a penalty kick late in Saturday's game to preserve the shutout.
The Lady Cougars are 11-3-0 overall and 8-2-0 in NJCAA Division III competition. They are a perfect 6-0-0 in New England regional play. Holyoke enters its last week of the regular season and on Wednesday plays away at rival Springfield Technical CC at 4pm. Let's go Cougars!
Photos: (Main) Shannon McCarthy controls the ball in the center of midfield against Quinsigamond earlier this season. (Thumbnail) Cassidy Snyder dishes off a pass in a game earlier this year.
