Panthers Claw Their Way to Victory in Women's Soccer Home Opener

By: Brandon Cruz

Elyza Colon finished with 1 assist in 90 minutes of play. (Photo by Kyle Hendler)

The Panthers Women’s Soccer team broke their early season slump, securing a 2-0 victory against the Brooklyn College Bulldogs on Sept. 6.

Lindita Selmani, a sophomore psychology major and forward for the Panthers, scored in the 55th minute from an assist by Elyza Colon, an undeclared sophomore and midfielder.  Rebecca Quick, a senior psychology major and midfielder, scored on a free kick in the 85th minute to double the lead and put the finishing touches on a victory.

In their first three games, the Panthers lost by an average of about five points. Head coach Hardeepak Malvai, more commonly referred to as Coach Nick, said, "We told them after every game how much they’re improving, so by the time they got to this game, they had a number of things they were doing well."

Bailey Carlon, a junior transfer student from Arizona and midfielder for the Panthers, played all 90 minutes and contributed two shots on goal in her first home game as a Panther. 

"I think we played well as a team," Carlon said. "We encouraged each other a lot, and there was a lot of effort put in today."

"I think after the first three games, we got up to speed with the level of play that we need to be at," said Valentina Quintero, a freshman film major and midfielder for the Panthers. "This last game is exactly where we need to be."

Head coach Agathangelos Tsantsaridis of the Brooklyn College Bulldogs gave praise to his team, who remains winless so far this season.

"We have a very positive group," he said. “The girls are doing really well; we are a family, and the girls know how to support each other and come back next game, and stay positive."

Sage Bernstein, a junior and co-captain for the Bulldogs, spoke highly about her teammates despite the early season struggles.

"As a team, we’ve connected really well," she said. "We weren’t able to put one in the back of the net, but I’m not too disappointed with our loss because every single game we’re looking to get better."

Panthers jogging on the field after the game. (Photo by Kyle Hendler)

Julieth Velasquez, a junior arts management major and midfielder, started her first game of the year for the Panthers after suffering a concussion. She felt that this game was important for her and the entire team.

"We played Brooklyn last year, and it wasn’t the outcome we wanted,” she said. The game ended in a scoreless tie. “We all just really wanted this game for ourselves, for each other, and for Ava [Kozak]."

Ava Kozak is a sophomore arts management major who started in all but one game in 2023. Before the season, she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral meniscus in her right leg. Carlon mentioned some of the injuries the team struggled with that played a factor in their slow start.

"It’s the intro to the season," said Carlon. “We scored one goal against two teams, but we still played well as a team. We have a lot of people injured, but we’ve been going out there and adapting and learning how to play with each other.”

Velasquez spoke about seeing returning teammates and new teammates play together, saying, "It’s a bit of a struggle and a blessing. We have preseason to figure out where everybody fits in, and who plays better with who."

Velasquez has played for the Panthers her entire collegiate career, but says she enjoys the process.

“You’re always going to find something out of a player you’ve known for years. They always come back with something new," said Velasquez.