St. Peter, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus women’s soccer team saved its best for last, winning its final game of the season and sending its seniors out on a high note. The Gusties defeated Hamline University 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Gustie Soccer Field to pick up their first conference victory and stamp in a final record of 1-8-2 in the MIAC and 2-13-3 overall.
“This season, we’ve proven that we’re in the competitive stage in close games, we’ve just been on the wrong end in the win-loss column,” said head coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. “That being said, this win shows that we’re not just in the competitive stage, but that we can win those close, tight games. I think today gives us a huge boost of confidence, especially our younger team members who will be returning next year. It was really rewarding for all of the girls because they’ve stayed so positive all year, even when things haven’t been going well, so it was nice to see that our hard work has paid off. I’m especially happy for our four seniors that get to leave the program with a win under their belt!”
As has been the case for much of the season, Gustavus sophomore Maddison Ackiss (Fairbanks, Alaska) provided the scoring punch for the Gusties. At 20:34, Ackiss gathered the ball on the far left of the Hamline penalty area, dribbled around two defenders and blasted a shot over Piper goalkeeper Erin Urbanowicz’s head to give Gustavus a 1-0 lead that would hold for the remainder of the game. The goal was Ackiss’s 10th of the season, good for fourth in the MIAC in that category.
“Maddison is a goal-scorer,” said Burnett-Kurie. “She can create something out of nothing and can really turn things around just by getting the ball and cracking one of her shots. That’s helped us a lot this year and having a player like Maddison has been key for our team.”
The Gustavus defense was strong on the day, allowing only seven shots for the Pipers and only one in the second half. Gustavus goalkeeper Roisen Granlund (So., St. Paul, Minn.) picked up her first victory of the season, as well as her first collegiate shutout to bring her 2014 record to 1-5-0 after collecting two saves and completing the shutout.
Senior Day
As is tradition at Gustavus, the final home game of the regular season was designated as Senior Day and a special tribute was made to the individuals who dedicated themselves to the Gustavus women’s soccer program over their college career. This year, four seniors were recognized for their dedication and commitment to Gustie women’s soccer. Those seniors were: Valerie Belanger (Zimmerman, Minn.), Caroline Olson (York, Penn.), Heather Goff (Eagan, Minn.) and Karlye Smith (Eau Claire, Wis.). The team also recognized senior athletic trainer Angela Gewerth, who has been the lead student trainer for the team this season.
“I’ve been really fortunate since I started here that the senior classes have brought so much to the program,” said Burnett-Kurie. “This senior class was special in the way they didn’t become complacent when the going got tough. They were ok with our record because they knew we were improving and they understood that our season was about so much more than wins and losses. They didn’t let their frustrations get the best of them, they came out everyday and put their best foot forward and really continued to bring the team together. Having that type of leadership, that vocal leadership that kept the positive energy up throughout the season really meant a lot. It’s going to be sad to see them go and it’s going to be very tough to replace them, but I truly believe they’ve done enough for our younger players to pave the way and keep things heading in the right direction.”