Women’s soccer reappears strong at national tournament with 2-0 win against Ravens
Junior defender Hannah Kile (21) kicks the ball away from an opponent.
Photo credit: Josiah Seabaugh
By Maddy Peters
Sports Editor
The Concordia women’s soccer team played their first national tournament game in four years with a 2-0 win against the Benedictine College Ravens Thursday afternoon.
The reverse of the earlier September match-up between the two teams also signifies the first time in program history that the Bulldogs have scored a goal in the national tournament and have moved on to the second game.
The first half was a defensive struggle with pretty even shooting. Benedictine kept the ball on the offense for much of the half yet was unable to create scoring opportunities. The Ravens had six corner kicks yet only had four shots. Concordia had no corners and three shots.
The second half was a different story with Concordia coming out of the gate swinging and went on the attack for scoring positions. The Bulldogs edged the Ravens in corners and shots in the second with four corners and five shots compared to Benedictine’s three corners and three shots.
The game was won late in the second off a corner kick from junior Kierstynn Garner. Senior Mirarosa Gyllenswan was able to take the corner off the rebound of a Benedictine player and boot it into the back corner of the goal.
Garner sealed the deal for the Bulldogs with just over a minute left in the game after a Raven corner was headed out of the way. Garner took the ball down the open field and was able to beat the goalie to put up that second point.
With the assist and goal, Garner surpassed the single season points record with 57. The previous record holders were Jennifer Davis in 2005 and Angela Krueger in 2000 both with 56.
Garner, Gyllenswan and sophomore Sadie Mares were the leaders in shots with two apiece. Garner’s and Mares’ were both on goal while only one of Gyllenswan’s was on goal.
Senior Angela Banks was the goalie of the day with five saves and no goals allowed for her ninth shutout of the season.
The team is now 14-6-1 overall and heads to the second round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics against No. 5 Aquinas College on Nov. 23 at 12 p.m. CT and 1 p.m. ET in Grand Rapids, Mich.
