A three-match road swing came to an end for the Valpo women’s soccer team Friday night at Purdue Fort Wayne, but the Brown and Gold were sent home empty-handed as the Mastodons earned a 2-0 victory.
How It Happened
- Valpo goalkeeper Kez Gesell (Winnipeg, Man./Glenlawn Collegiate Institute) made a pair of early saves in the opening nine minutes.
- The Mastodons claimed the lead in the 27th minute, as Hannah Kroger sent a strike from outside the box on the ground inside the left-hand post, assisted by Morgan Reitano.
- The match remained 1-0 through halftime into the second half, but the Mastodons would add an insurance tally in the 57th minute. Kelsey Gallagher put a ball into the box which took a high bounce, and Kayla Wisniewski out-leapt a pair of Valpo players for a header which popped up and over the goal line to make it 2-0.
- Valpo put a pair of shots on goal after that point, but both were saved by Purdue Fort Wayne goalkeeper Lorah Pund as the Mastodons closed out the match.
Inside the Match
- Valpo was out-shot by the Mastodons, 12-7, and Purdue Fort Wayne placed seven shots on goal to four for the Crusaders.
- Gesell made three saves in her second start of the season in goal for Valpo, while Pund stopped all four attempts on frame to earn the shutout for the Mastodons.
- Freshman Elizabeth Park (Davenport, Iowa/Bettendorf) made her debut in the Valpo kit on Friday evening, playing the entire second half.
Thoughts From Coach Marovich
“We created more service into the box and utilized the wide areas better tonight than we have all year to date. It’s now the finishing in front of goal. We are seeing growth, but we need to have a better finishing percentage.”
Next Up
Valpo (0-6-1) returns home to Brown Field to host IUPUI Sunday at 1 p.m. The program will be celebrating Senior Day on Sunday, and the match can be seen live on ESPN3.
