The Gustavus women’s soccer team opened its seven-game home stand with a 2-0 shutout over the University of Wisconsin-Stout on a cool day in St. Peter, Minn. After failing to score in the first half in seven of the past eight games, the Gusties were able to get on the board early as sophomore Ashley Anderson beat UW-Stout keeper Taylor Randle. The 1-0 lead was all that senior goalkeeper Ashley Ohlson needed to preserve the shutout for Gustavus. Senior Callie Christensen added an insurance goal in the 71st minute to put the Gusties up 2-0. The win moves Gustavus to 3-5-2 overall and drops the Blue Devils to 4-5-2 on the season.
Anderson got the Gustavus attack moving within the first ten minutes of the match, firing three shots on goal. Her third shot came only 9:47 into the match and beat Randle to the right corner from just inside the six-yard box, for her second goal of the season. Senior Ashley Voigtlander was credited with her second assist of the season. The Gusties continued to put pressure on the Blue Devil defense letting a total of nine shots fly in the remainder of the first half.
The best chance for another Gustie goal came in the 37th minute when Christensen ripped a shot to the lower right corner that forced Randle to make an all-out dive in order to make the stop. The best opportunity for UW-Stout to tie the game came in the 19th minute when a shot by sophomore Kaitlin Arjes sailed over the head of goalkeeper Ashley Ohlson, but bounced off the crossbar.
Gustavus came out of the intermission with the same intensity that they ended the first half. Senior Christy Tupy stole the ball from a UW-Stout defender at the top of the box and rifled a shot that forced Randle to make another diving save. At 70:58 of the match, Christensen got her first goal of the season as her shot slid underneath an outstretched Randle and into the back of the net giving the Gusties a 2-0 lead. The goal was assisted by sophomore Nicole Kwapick, who got her second assist of the season. Ten minutes later, junior Chelsea Craven had her shot hit the left post and back into play where it was cleared by a Blue Devil defender.
Both goalkeepers played extremely well, but Ohlson was able to save all three shots she faced for the shutout, while Randle finished the match with 11 saves and allowing the two goals. Ohlson improves her record to 2-3-2 on the season and Randle drops to a record of 1-3-1.
The Gusties (3-5-2, 1-2-1 MIAC) will remain home on the longest home stand in program history this Saturday for their Homecoming match against the Pipers of Hamline University in an MIAC contest. The match is set to being at 1:00 p.m.