William Penn Succumbs 2-1 to End 2017 in Play-In Game
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–The Statesmen women’s soccer team rallied four days ago to win its regular season finale, but had the tables turned Wednesday as it fell 2-1 to Culver-Stockton in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament Play-In game.
#8 seed WPU, which ends its year at 9-8-1, lost in the same manner as it won last Saturday–over the same Wildcats (9-9-1). The navy and gold led 1-0 at halftime, but could not stop the ninth-seeded visitors from rallying with a pair of second-half goals.
Raunice Butler (Jr., Nassau, Bahamas, Physical Education) snatched the advantage for WPU just 24 seconds before halftime. The unassisted goal was her 13th of the year, tying her for seventh on the program’s single-season list.
Unfortunately, C-SC evened things up in the 50th minute and then went ahead for good in the 54th minute.
The Statesmen, who were outshot 14-6, were limited to just a few chances after halftime and were unable to tally the equalizer. Alexandra Benedict (Jr., Tustin, Calif., Sports Management) guided WPU with three shots, while Riley Ludwig (Jr., Big Bear City, Calif., Biology) managed a pair of saves.
“This was a tough way for the season to end, after we played one of the best halves of the season in the first half,” Head Coach Jaymee Highcock said. “The ladies should be extremely proud of how they performed this season and can exit this season with their heads held high.”
“I want to thank all the seniors and staff for making it a season to remember,” Highcock added. “For us to win a large number of games is a credit to them and it gives us a platform to take this program to the next level.”
The loss ends the collegiate careers of Araceli Angel (Tama, Iowa, Psychology/Human Services), Hannah Baker (Adelaide, Australia, Exercise Science), Graciela Belmontes (Salinas, Calif., Biology), Ashlyn Hubbard (Mason City, Iowa, Education), Francis Lee (Fort Dodge, Iowa, Sports Management), Kathy Lopez ( Ottumwa, Iowa, Business Management), Katie Salinas (Fort Dodge, Iowa, Sports Management), Andreya Ventura (Granada Hills, Calif., Psychology), Mariah Voight (La Mesa, Calif., Sociology/Psychology), and Nicole Walsh (Melbourne, Australia, Exercise Science).
