Luisa Desario
(Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett
H.S.) and Trisha Wladecki (Avon
Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake H.S.) each had a goal and an assist as Valparaiso rallied
from a halftime deficit to defeat UMKC 3-2 on Saturday evening in the regular
season opener for both teams played at Durwood Soccer Stadium and Recreational
Field in Kansas City, Mo.
Trailing 1-0 at intermission,
the Crusaders tied the match just under 10 minutes into the second half. Wladecki sent a cross from the right side
that connected with Catherine Terrell
(Brighton, Mich./Brighton H.S.) in the box. Terrell finished into the lower right corner
of the net, past Kangaroo goalkeeper Jami Finnell.
“Cat’s run on her goal was
just outstanding,” head coach John
Marovich said.
With 20:17 remaining in
regulation, Wladecki gave Valpo the lead.
She finished a cross from Desario inside the 18-yard box to make it 2-1
Crusaders.
Desario then added what would
prove to be a key insurance goal less than seven minutes later. Desario converted on a through ball from Brooke Henderson (Westlake, Ohio/Westlake
H.S.) with a low finish, increasing the advantage to 3-1.
“We utilized the field much
better in the second half than we did in the first,” Marovich added. “We had some really good runs.”
With just under 10 minutes
remaining, UMKC cut Valpo’s lead in half as Taylor Bare finished a feed from
Ashley Gann. The Kangaroos would not be
able to convert again though, and the Crusaders won their season opener for the
fifth time in the last six years.
Valpo finished the match
holding a 12-8 shot advantage, including a 7-4 advantage on goal. Kristen
Manski (Saint Charles, Ill./North
H.S.) made two saves in winning her collegiate debut while Finnell made four
stops for the Kangaroos.
The Crusaders also held a 4-2
advantage in corner kicks earned on the evening.
The first half was scoreless
until 2:29 before the break when Gann picked up a loose ball and scored from
just inside the 18-yard box to give UMKC (0-1) a 1-0 lead at the break.
“We were a bit out of sorts
in the first half,” Marovich said. “We
got out of playing our game.”
Valparaiso (1-0) will return home on Friday evening as the
Crusaders host Eastern Illinois under the
lights of Brown Field. Kickoff is set
for 7 p.m.
Match Notes: Valpo
is now 5-13 all-time in season openers, with all five victories coming in the
last six years … this was the first meeting ever between the Crusaders and UMKC
… the Aug. 21 start matched 2009 for the earliest opening match date in program
history … the three goals scored were the most by Valpo since tallying three in
a 3-2 win against Detroit on Oct. 11, 2009 … Valpo won despite trailing at
halftime, something the Crusaders were not able to do last season (0-4) … the
Crusaders also won with the Kangaroos scoring first, after going 0-7-1 when the
opposition tallied the first goal in 2009 … besides Manski, freshmen Amanda Ulin (Solon, Iowa/Solon H.S.)
and Lauren Gagnon (Grand Haven,
Mich./Spring Lake H.S.) both started
their collegiate debuts.