Gorloks Season Ends in Setback to Wheaton
Webster University saw its 2019 women's soccer season come to a close here Friday afternoon as the Gorloks fell 3-0 to host and eighth-ranked Wheaton College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament held at Joe Bean Stadium on the Wheaton College campus.
The Gorloks end their 2019 season with a 15-5-1 overall record, while Wheaton improves to 17-2-1 overall and advances to a second-round match-up on Saturday against either 21st-ranked Case Western Reserve or the College of Wooster.
In Friday's match, Webster's offense, which entered the NCAA Tournament averaging nearly four goals per game and 23 shots per game, was held to just 11 shots and three shots on goal against the Thunder and were also held without a goal for just the third time this season.
While Webster was held to 11 shots and three shots on goal, Wheaton recorded 35 shots and had 16 shots on goal, including taking 18 shots in the first half.
Webster freshman goalkeeper Taryn Banfield (Plano, Texas/Plano East) was challenged throughout the day by the Thunder, but she was able to hold Wheaton to just three goals on those 35 goals as she recorded 13 saves, including making eight saves in the first half. Banfield, who was named the MVP of last weekend's St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, closes the season with a 14-4-1 record and recorded 79 saves and allowed 13 goals in 20 matches.
On the season, Webster's defense allowed a total of 16 goals in 21 matches and those 16 goals are tied for the sixth-lowest total allowed in school history. Last season, Webster also allowed a total of 16 goals. In addition, the Gorloks also posted 13 shutouts this season and that is tied for the second-most in a season in school history as the 2005, 2003 and 2001 squads also recorded 13 shutouts.
Wheaton got on the scoreboard late in the 35th minute as Jensen Ellis scored on an assisted goal from the top of the box that was hit into the center of the net past Banfield. That goal snapped a nearly 617-minute scoreless streak for Banfield and the Gorloks as that was the first goal allowed by the Gorloks since Fontbonne scored a goal in the 48th minute of its 1-0 win on Oct. 19. Following the Fontbonne match, Webster posted six straight shutouts, including shutting out both of its opponents in the SLIAC Tournament last week.
Prior to Ellis' goal, sophomore forward Jordan Lande (Sachse, Texas/Sachse) had taken Webster's first shot of the game in the 30th minute that was saved by Wheaton goalkeeper Lauren Ketchum. Lande, who was a Third-Team All-SLIAC performer this season, paced the Gorloks with three shots on Friday.
In the 33rd minute, freshman forward Jewelyn Felix (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) put a shot on goal, but Ketchum was there to record the save and thwart another scoring opportunity from the Gorloks.
With about five seconds left in the first half, senior forward Savannah Page (Sandy, Utah/Jordan) put a shot on goal, but Wheaton's Lauren Ketchum made a save to keep the Gorloks off the board.
Wheaton pushed its lead to 2-0 in the 56th minute as Sara Bakke scored an unassisted goal from the far left of the box off a header and then capped the scoring with a goal by Isabella Oliver in the 65th minute off an assist from Hannah Max.
All three of Webster's shots on goal came in the first half, while seven of their 11 shots came after halftime.
In addition to Lande's four shots, Felix, Page, sophomore midfielder Julia Paradise (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) and senior forward Melissa Kasper (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) each had two shots in the loss.
Ketchum (17-1-2) played a little over 68 minutes in the match in goal for the Thunder and recorded three saves, while Madison Lee played the final 21-plus minutes and did not face a shot on goal.
Bakke took nine of Wheaton's 35 shots, while Ellis added six shots and four shots on goal and Max took three in the win.
The Thunder also held a 10-2 edge in corner kicks and committed seven fouls to Webster's two fouls.
Webster, who made its 14th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, closed the 2019 campaign by winning its eighth consecutive and 15th overall regular-season SLIAC title and also claimed its 10th all-time SLIAC Tournament championship this season.
Eight Gorloks were named All-SLIAC selection, including three earning First-Team honors, while Kasper repeated as the SLIAC Offensive Player of the Year and senior defender Lilly Brauer (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) earned her second straight SLIAC Defensive Player of the Year honor.
Friday's contest was also the final match for Webster's six seniors as this year's seniors were Brauer, Kasper, Page, midfielder Olivia Osterhage (St. Louis, Mo./Eureka), goalkeeper Abbey Mercer (Granite City, Ill./Granite City) and student manager Janel Bond. Those six seniors helped lead the Gorloks to four straight SLIAC regular-season titles, three SLIAC Tournament titles, three NCAA Tournament appearances and a combined overall record of 63-18-2 overall and a 34-1-1 record in SLIAC play.
STORY COURTESY OF WEBSTER UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
