Close Match Sees Statesmen Fall to Grand View
Des Moines, Iowa — The William Penn women’s soccer team made the trip to the state capitol Tuesday to take on rival Grand View. The Statesmen battled hard across 90 minutes of action but could never find the right pass to make to lead to a scoring chance. Out-shot 17-9, WPU took a 2-0 loss and are now 4-5 overall and winless in three Heart of America Athletic Conference games.
Things started off rough with a ball put towards goal from outside the box by Grand View. Starting goalie Adyson Blom (So. Newton, Iowa, Human Services) tried to punch it away but it rolled off her hands and into the goal. WPU then started playing better as they tried feeding Kaitlin Falaney (Fr., Ottawa, Ill., Sports Management). Anna Matthew (So., Glendale Heights, Ill., Biology) and Iris Navarro (FR., Ontario, Calif., Biology) each had some good drives towards the box but only one shot towards goal could be generated. Kathy Niles (So., Pahrump, Nev., Exercise Science) was up and down the field for the Statesmen in the first 45, making some good passes and cutting off the rushes that Grand View tried to break out with. The visitors enjoyed good spells of possession and generated some good forward play as the first half came to a close. Despite a foul not called when Isabella Pirami (So., South Jordan, Utah, Exercise Science) was taken down in the box, the Statesmen seemed to be in the game down a goal at the half.
The second 45 started with WPU changing their formation but it was Grand View who struck first, again netting the first goal of the half. A breakdown on the far side of the defense let the Vikings in and the home squad went up 2-0 on a shot past Blom. William Penn fought through the middle part of the second half but just could not connect enough passes together in the final third. Navarro worked hard to try to help spring the attack, but outside one scramble in the box, nothing really challenged the Grand View keeper.
Despite some more substitutions and tactical changes, no answers could be found and the Statesmen fell to the Vikings. The team took eight shots in the second half to finish with nine total. They took two corners to Grand View’s 10 while commiting only three fouls on the night. Blom made five saves in net while Isabella Davies (Fr., Gold Coast, Australia, Biology) and Brittney Severson (So., Omaha, Neb.) led the team with two shots each.
Next up: Baker beckons as the next opponent as the team will play Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in Baldwin City, Kan.
