Statesmen Snap Losing Streak with Win Over GVU
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–A pair of first-half goals helped the William Penn women’s soccer team break through into the league’s win column as it defeated rival Grand View 2-1 in Heart of America Athletic Conference action Wednesday.
WPU (5-5-1, 1-4 Heart), which ended its four-match losing streak, took advantage of a strong wind at its back and controlled the action in the opening period.
The hosts used that wind right away as they got on the board just 6:01 into the contest. Hayley Brothers (Fr., Bonner Springs, Kan., Exercise Science) booted the ball from inside the south box all the way across the midline. Hannah Baker (Sr., Adelaide, Australia, Biology) finally caught up to it in Grand View’s box. She immediately cut towards the net and delivered a ball that snuck between the GVU keeper and the post for her first tally of the fall.
Brittney Severson (Fr., Omaha, Neb., Biology) doubled the advantage in the 33rd minute. After her corner kick was cleared out of the box, Ashley Broeker (Sr., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science) tracked it down and sent it in once again. This time, Anna Matthew (Fr., Glendale Heights, Ill., Biology) one-touched it to Severson, who fired a shot from outside the box that found the netting.
It is Severson’s second goal of 2018, while it is Broeker’s first assist and Matthew’s second.
The Vikings also found the sledding easier by having the wind in the second half, but William Penn, despite being outshot 14-4 after intermission (18-12 overall), kept the visitors at bay until the 83rd minute. GVU (4-7, 2-3 Heart) finally broke through to cut the margin to one, but Brothers and the defense held strong in the waning minutes to claim the win.
Brothers finished up with nine stops Wednesday, including six after halftime.
After losing 13 in a row at one point in the head-to-head series, the Statesmen have now taken two of the last three meetings against Grand View.
“I am so proud of the way we played,” Head Coach Jaymee Highcock said. “This is a great feeling to get a big win over our fierce local rival. We put together two good halves of soccer and fully deserved the win. Our players adjusted to a new formation and certainly used the wind to our advantage in the first half. We showed today that we can compete with anyone in our conference.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Lamoni Saturday to face Graceland in Heart play at 6 p.m.
