|
 Box Score | Preview |
1st |
2nd |
OT |
Final |
|
 Saint Benedict (3-0-1) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
 Luther (0-3-0) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Decorah, Iowa -- The Saint Benedict soccer team completed the sweep of their weekend road trip to Iowa today (Sept. 8) with a 1-0 overtime victory against the Luther College Norse. The win improves their record to 3-0-1 and is the best start Saint Benedict soccer has seen since they went 12-0 to start the 2007 season. The loss drops the Norse to 0-3-0.
The defenses dominated the first 90 minutes, with neither team able to create many good scoring opportunities. With 10 minutes to play in the second half senior forward
Colleen Bouchard made a run deep inside the box off a lob pass from fellow senior
Laura Kosch. The referee called a controversial foul on Bouchard after she and a Luther defender tumbled to the ground in a scramble for the loose ball. The Norse were awarded a free kick and neither team was able to create another scoring opportunity through the rest of the second half.
Just five minutes into overtime, sophomore Grace Vaughan ended the scoreless drought, capitalizing on a corner kick from Senior
Kristina Burk to give the Blazers a 1-0 victory. On the corner Burk sent the ball in front of the net where it bounced off several defenders before Vaughan was able to get her foot on it and lift it over the desperately-flailing Norse goalie Molly Hilgart and into the net. The goal was Vaughan's first of the year and first of her Blazer career.
First-year keeper Heather Kaluzniak made seven saves en route to picking up the first shutout of her career in a Blazer uniform. The Blazers have now outscored their opponents 7-3 with Kaluzniak in net.
Notable were performances by sophomores
Ellie Mullen and
Megan Lenz, as well as Bouchard and Burk, each of who played all 95 minutes without subbing out
The Blazers return to action this Friday at 5 p.m. when they will host the University of Minnesota club team for an exhibition game. Their official home opener will be the following Sunday when they will host the University of Wisconsin-Stout at 1 p.m. in St. Joseph.
