NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team suffered its first loss in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on Saturday, losing 4-3 to Carleton College. The Gusties fall to 5-4-1 overall and 4-1-0 in the conference.
Maddison Ackiss (Jr., Fairbanks, Alaska) got the scoring going early by finding the back of the net in the fourth minute of play. Ackiss beat two defenders and hit the bottom right corner for her seventh score of the season (2nd/MIAC).
Carleton answered in the 10th minute off a corner kick to make it 1-1. The Gusties regained the lead at the 26:44 mark as Emily Odermatt (So., Minneapolis, Minn.) harpooned a corner kick into the top right corner of the net, assisted by Coursey Edwards (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.). The goal was Odermatt’s first of her career. In the 38th minute, Laura Johnson (So., Chanhassen, Minn.) tallied her first goal of the season after a turnover as she then found the top right corner of the net.
The Gusties led 3-1 at halftime, but the second half was all Carleton as the Knights tallied three unanswered goals in the final 24 minutes of play.
Gustavus took six shots throughout the match compared to 16 by the Knights. Ashley Becker (Fy., Farmington, Minn.) took the loss after recording seven saves.
“All in all, it was an exciting game from start to finish,” Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie said. “We had some moments where we reached a different level of creativity and movement, which showed with the first half score.
“Unfortunately we didn’t put together a solid 90 minutes and Carleton stepped up its game in the second half. There are a lot of learning opportunities we will take from this, both good and bad.
“Now it’s on to the next game and getting back on track towards achieving our program goals.”
The Gusties next travel to Bethany Lutheran College for a non-conference match at 5 p.m. on Oct. 7.