Dream ends: GPAC champions eliminated at home
Concordia women’s soccer prepares for its game against Hastings (photo from previous game).
Photo: Ben Frerking
By Victor Tavares Paiva
Neither the home-field advantage, the Bulldogs’ impressive season nor their conference championship was enough to help Concordia women’s soccer overcome the College of Saint Mary Flames on Tuesday night in the Great Plains Athletic Conference quarterfinals as they fell 1-0.
Despite having a goal disallowed for offside, Concordia dominated much of the match offensively. The Bulldogs recorded 18 shots, including 11 on target, forcing Flames goalkeeper Jenna Brown to deliver an outstanding performance with 11 saves.
On the Bulldogs’ side, goalkeeper sophomore Aaliyah Matthews had a relatively quiet night, recording just two saves. Offensively, sophomores Charli Preister and Kianna Perez stood out, recording four and six shots, respectively.
Concordia controlled the game for most of the 90 minutes, finishing with significant advantages in both shots and corner kicks. The Bulldogs earned an impressive 11 corners compared to just two for the Flames.
However, with only six minutes remaining in regulation, the game took a dramatic turn. Following a foul in the Flames’ defensive half, they sent a long ball toward the edge of the Bulldogs’ big area. The Bulldogs’ defense struggled to deal with the delivery, allowing Mia Godwin to capitalize with a pinpoint shot over Matthews, giving the Flames the decisive goal.
Unfortunately, the final score was not what the Seward community and Bulldogs supporters had hoped for. Nevertheless, Coach Jason Weides and his players concluded their season with a 10-5-3 record, finishing a memorable campaign as GPAC regular season champions.
The Bulldogs will now look to build on this season’s accomplishments during their spring exhibition schedule before returning for another GPAC campaign next fall.
Meanwhile, the Flames advance to the semifinals, where they will face Morningside after the Mustangs defeated Dakota Wesleyan 3-1.
