St. Peter, Minn. – It was one of “those days” for the Gustavus women’s soccer team as it fell to St. Catherine by the score of 1-0 on Wednesday afternoon at the Gusties Soccer Field. After giving up a goal at the 14:10 mark of the first half, the Gusties outplayed the Wildcats for the remainder of the afternoon, creating numerous dangerous opportunities, yet could not find the back of the net for the game-tying score. With the loss, Gustavus falls to 6-10-0 overall and 3-7-0 in the MIAC, while St. Catherine improves to 9-7-0 overall and 4-6-0 in the MIAC.
“Today’s loss is a tough one to swallow, but we cant’ be upset about our effort, our drive, and our passion for the game.” said head coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “We were able to play some quality soccer, move the ball well, and work with each other consistently for the full 90 minutes. Everyone stepped up and made a difference in the game.”
Jennifer Goetz gave St. Catherine the lift it needed in the 15th minute when she took a touch 30 yards out and sent a rainbow up-and-over the outstretched fingertips of Gustavus goalkeeper Jessica Richert (Sr., Freeburg, Ill.) into the upper right corner of the goal. Goetz’s first goal of the season gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead heading in to halftime, as neither team was able to mount another dangerous opportunity for the remainder of the half.
Gustavus put the pressure on St. Catherine in the second half. The Gusties used good ball movement and possession to create a number of dangerous opportunities. The play of Amanda Cartony (Jr., Stillwater, Minn.) and Maggie Lane (Sr., Saginaw, Minn.) sparked the Gustie offense to out-shoot the Wildcats 9-3 in the final 45 minutes. The Black and Gold forced St. Catherine goalkeeper Danielle Mendez to make four of her seven saves after the intermission.
“I thought Amanda had an exceptional game, showing her personality, and dancing with the ball,” mentioned Burnett-Kurie of Cartony’s play. “Although her creativity and risk-taking didn’t pay off with a goal, it changed the game and was a joy to watch.”
Gustavus appeared to have the equalizer at the 87:09 mark when Emily Papagapitos (Jr., Maplewood, Minn.) found the end of a cross and put the ball in the back of the net. It was all for none as the junior was called offsides and the goal was taken away. The Gusties could only muster one more shot as the final seconds ticked off the clock with the Wildcats holding on to the one-goal win.
“Ultimately, I thought we played with a lot of heart, guts, and grit,” Burnett-Kurie stated. “We pushed ourselves, laid everything out on the line, and gave the game everything we had. I am proud of this team and the will they showed to play in the moment, to fight, and to battle to the end.”
The Gusties will be back on the Gustie Soccer Field Saturday for the season finale when they host Macalester at 1:00 p.m. for Senior Day.