WPU Ties Northwestern in Spring Finale

Oskaloosa–Kaitlin Falaney (So., Ottawa, Ill., Sports Management) scored a first-half goal, but the Statesmen women’s soccer team could not hold its lead in a 1-1 non-conference tie with Northwestern Saturday.

WPU (3-12-1) closes out its condensed spring campaign with the program’s first draw since tying Robert Morris 0-0 back on August 25, 2018.

The navy and gold were outshot 6-5 in the opening 45 minutes, but managed to score the lone goal of the period when Falaney took a centering pass from Iris Navarro (So., Ontario, Calif., Biology) about 25 yards out and fired a volley over the head of the Raider keeper at the 27:21 mark.

The goal gives Falaney the team lead in goals with four.

Pressured a bit more in the second stanza, William Penn’s defense finally broke when NWC (5-8-2) notched the tying goal in the 52nd minute.

WPU lost the shots battle 20-13, including a 5-1 margin in the overtime periods, but forced extra play and then kept the visitors off the board in the 20 minutes of OT as well.

Falaney paced the offense with five shots (three on goals), while the trio of Navarro, Taylor Witthauer (Fr., Vancouver, Wash., Nursing), and Raylee Halbrooks (Fr., Elgin, Okla., Undecided) all produced two attempts each.

Katja Bierman (Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo., Digital Communication) was solid between the pipes with nine saves.