Granados game-winner could be turning point for women’s soccer

Quinn Casteel
Assistant Sports Editor
Commonwealth Times Sports’ Twitter

When Cristin Granados blasted the game-winning goal against Georgia State on Sunday afternoon with one second on the clock, co-head coach Tiffany Sahaydak said she “felt like we had just won a World Cup.”

For many, that kind of statement is obvious hyperbole, but Sahaydak actually knows what it feels like to win a World Cup. She was on the sideline when Brandi Chastain made the penalty kick to seal the Cup for the U.S. back in 1999.

Granted, the Chastain kick may be the most memorable moment in women’s soccer history, but the Granados game-winner could prove to be the defining moment for VCU this season. Sahaydak believes the team is finally back on the right track after scuffling for the first few games, and the Granados goal is indicative of that.

“To know that you have a team that doesn’t stop, it was a great moment, probably the best of the season,” she said. “They’re a very determined team, and they’ve been very persistent so it’s nice to finally see the results and the confirmation that they are playing well.”

Since losing their first two CAA games to Northeastern and Hofstra on the first weekend of conference play, the Rams have been on a tear. In four CAA matches after opening weekend, they have gone 3-0-1, playing a scoreless tie with George Mason before winning three straight against Towson, UNC Wilmington and Georgia State.

Sahaydak said the turnaround began after the coaching staff organized a team meeting two days after losing to Hofstra and falling to 0-2 in the conference. At that point, she felt a lot of the players were trying to do too much and trying to fix the team’s problems by themselves. The purpose of the meeting was to bring everyone together and begin focusing on the team again.

“When things aren’t going your way, people want to do it themselves, and that’s something that can tear a team apart,” she said. “We talked about a culture of excellence, and I reminded them of that standard of always being your best. It was nice because it gave everyone a clear path again, and we were able to regroup and refocus.”

Since that meeting, they haven’t lost a match and appear to be playing with a swagger they have not had all season. The defense has played with a synergy that simply has not been there, and a lot of that is because they have had more time to play together.

Senior Molly Allen has been a key member of the VCU back four for the past three years, but she missed the entire summer with a concussion. She has just recently gotten back to form and more importantly has developed chemistry with Karol Sanchez, a center-back who transferred this year from Costa Rica.

Carly Edgcomb, who starts at outside-back along with Allen, has come on as of late as well, which shows it is no coincidence that VCU has shut out its last four opponents.

Sahaydak believes the Granados goal could be the biggest moment of the season for VCU, and not just because it gave them the win against Georgia State. The lift that goal gave the team could pay dividends the rest of the season, as the Rams look to fulfill their postseason aspirations.

“I see us playing in the conference championship, and I honestly feel like we have a team that will play in the NCAA Tournament,” Sahaydak said. “That is our goal, and the whole team has been aware of that since the preseason. It’s a tough road but I know what this team is capable of.”

For a team with so much talent and a coach that has reached the pinnacle of the soccer world, it is no surprise that they have high expectations. But if they are to fulfill their ambitions, VCU will have to maintain this level of play as they enter the most demanding part of the schedule.

In the next two weeks they play their remaining five CAA matches against Delaware, Drexel, Old Dominion, William & Mary and James Madison on senior night to close things out.

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Photo by: Chris Conway