Agnes Irwin’s Early Surge Stuns Baldwin as Fatigue, Slow Start Prove Costly

For the second straight afternoon, The Baldwin School found itself on the wrong end of a tough Inter-Ac League result. Less than 24 hours removed from a heartbreaking 3–1 loss at Germantown Academy — a game that was level deep into the final ten minutes — Baldwin struggled to match the early tempo of host Agnes Irwin on Wednesday, falling 5–1 in Villanova.

The setback drops Baldwin to 10–7–1 overall and 2–7 in Inter-Ac play, while Agnes Irwin, energized by its home crowd and sharp early execution, capitalized on nearly every opportunity in the attacking third.

From the opening whistle, it was clear which team had the fresher legs. AIS came out pressing high and moving the ball crisply, punishing Baldwin for a sluggish start. The Owls broke through less than a minute in — a sweeping move down the left flank ending with a pinpoint cross and a composed one-time finish from 12 yards.

“Agnes Irwin has a good coaching staff and they were ready to play from the opening whistle,” Baldwin head coach Adrian Cox said postgame. “In the Inter-Ac, you can’t afford to start slow. The players and teams are too competitive, too talented, and too well-coached. AIS took advantage of our slow start and really moved the ball quickly and nicely. We were chasing the game after that opening goal.”

That early punch seemed to knock Baldwin out of rhythm. The visitors struggled to establish any sustained possession through the midfield, often forced into hurried clearances under AIS’s relentless pressure. Each turnover seemed to feed the home side’s confidence.

By halftime, Baldwin was staring at a three goal deficit and searching for answers.

To their credit, the Bears found flashes of composure in the second half, highlighted by a moment of brilliance from junior striker and co-captain Makena Lee. Freshman midfielder Elise Skawinski, one of Baldwin’s few bright spots on the afternoon, won a key challenge near midfield, stripped an AIS player, and immediately drove forward into space. Spotting Lee darting ahead, Skawinski threaded a perfectly weighted pass through the back line.

Lee took a deft first touch, spun into stride, and unleashed a rising 25-yard strike that soared past the outstretched fingertips of the AIS goalkeeper — a goal that briefly injected energy into the Baldwin sideline.

“It was a great individual and team moment,” Cox said. “Elise did well to win the ball and drive forward, and Makena showed her quality with that finish. That’s the kind of quick transition and decision-making we need more consistently.”

Still, the deficit was too much to overcome. AIS continued to dictate play with crisp passing and off-ball movement, adding insurance tallies to seal the 5–1 final.

For Baldwin, the defeat underscored the unforgiving nature of back-to-back league road games and the razor-thin margins in Inter-Ac competition.

“We need to be more composed and skillful on the ball,” Cox noted. “We have to make quicker decisions, communicate more and make supporting runs off the ball. We allowed AIS too much time and space, and good players will create chances when you do that.”

Now, Baldwin turns its focus to another daunting challenge: league leader and undefeated Episcopal Academy visits on Friday. Cox knows his team can’t afford another slow start.

“It’s important that we maintain a positive attitude, work hard, stay organized defensively, and value the ball,” Cox said. “We’ll be ready for the opening whistle.”