HUNTINGBURG, Ind. -- Coming into her freshman season, Harlee Brand was hyped up for good reason.
A four-year starter in goal at nearby North Adams High School in neighboring Adams County, Brand made 349 saves over a high school career that saw North Adams make three district championship game appearances in four seasons.
Now, halfway into her freshman season at Shawnee State, it is clear that Brand is beginning to find a groove in a SSU uniform.
Improving on a game-by-game basis, Brand's play between the posts proved vital to keeping the Bears in the thick of the fight against the Oakland City Mighty Oaks' women's soccer program, making a career-high 11 saves in a terrific display between the posts for the second consecutive match in a row as Shawnee State fell by a tight 1-0 count Saturday afternoon in a River States Conference contest that was held in Huntingsburg, Ind.
Throughout much of the affair, the contest proved to be an uphill battle for Shawnee State in terms of shots and possession as Oakland City collected a 27-2 edge in shots while placing 16 shots on frame to SSU's one. The Mighty Oaks also nabbed 10 corner kicks while Shawnee State wasn't able to produce a corner.
However, despite those disadvantages and 10 Shawnee State fouls to Oakland City's six, Brand's poise proved to be invaluable to the Bears on Saturday.
At one point, Brand made four saves over a 10-minute stretch of play in the first half as well as three saves over a nine-minute salvo in the second half -- as the freshman ultimately stopped shots in the eighth, ninth, 30th, 33rd, 39th and 40th minutes in the first half and the 50th, 58th, 59th, 72nd, 84th and 85th minutes in the second half. The freshman did all of this while facing a 14-0 shot disadvantage in the second half.
On four separate occasions, Brand stopped attempts by Oakland City standout forward Macey Woolcock. Woolcock, a junior, ultimately scored an unassisted tally in the 53rd minute in between her eight total shot attempts in the contest. The 53rd minute goal was the junior's seventh goal of the year -- a team-best on the Mighty Oaks' side.
Brand also got help from Carlota Ipina Taylor and Claire Favre who each were credited with one defensive save each after clearing near-misses by Oakland City.
Lucie Ashkettle's eighth-minute shot and a 14th minute shot on goal by Annie Coriell represented the attempts from an offensive standpoint for Shawnee State in the contest.
Shawnee State (0-7-2, 0-2-1 River States Conference) will get 12 days of needed rest and recovery before heading to Beckley, W. Va. for a River States Conference matchup against West Virginia Tech. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m.
