There’s been some magic in the 88^th minute so far this season for the Valpo soccer program, as for the second time this year, the Beacons found the match-winning goal less than three minutes from time. On Sunday, it was freshman Kaleigh Shafer (Shelby Township, Mich./Eisenhower) striking for the second time on the afternoon to deliver the Beacons a 2-1 victory at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio.

How It Happened

• Valpo found the opening goal in the 33^rd minute of play. Pressing on a Wright State goal kick, senior Sam Gountounas (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) won a tackle to gain possession about 30 yards from goal. Gountounas took the ball to the right-hand edge of the box and then played into the center for Shafer, who hit it with her second touch low to the goalkeeper’s right to put the Beacons on top.
• Valpo kept the one-goal edge for just over three quarters of an hour, but the Raiders were able to level things in the 78^th minute. WSU was awarded a penalty kick after a call for a Valpo handball in the box, and while freshman Hailey Wade (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) was able to stop the initial attempt from the sport, the Raiders’ Mariella Hartmann knocked the rebound in to tie the score at 1-1.
• With the clock inside three minutes, the Beacons struck for the deciding tally. On a ball into the box, senior Addy Joiner (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) gained possession about 10 yards from goal. Dealing with pressure, Joiner laid it back for Shafer, who knocked it inside the right post for the winning goal.

Inside the Match

• As noted in the lede, this was Valpo’s second match-winning goal in the 88^th minute this season, as the Beacons previously downed Milwaukee with a goal less than three minutes from time.
• Sunday’s goal came with 2:04 to play, making it Valpo’s latest match-winner in regulation since Kelsey Jahn struck with 27 seconds remaining in the 90 minutes in the 2017 MVC opener at Missouri State.
• Shafer opened her collegiate account with her first-half goal and then tallied the match-winner with her second-half strike.
• Shafer is the first Valpo freshman with a multi-goal game since Maria Broecker tallied two goals in Horizon League Tournament action at Oakland Oct. 31, 2016.
• Joiner’s assist on the match-winner was her sixth career assist and gave her 46 points, moving her alone into sixth position in program history.
• Gountounas’ assist on the opening goal was her second career helper.
• Wade earned her first career start in goal and was credited with 11 saves, the most saves by a Valpo goalkeeper since Kezia Gesell stopped 12 shots in a win at Illinois State Oct. 8, 2018.
• Wade was one of three Valpo freshmen to make their first collegiate starts on Sunday, as Kate Jeffery (Southampton, England/ Barton Peveril Sixth Form College) and Landyn Wessels (Maple Hill, N.C./Jacksonville) did so as well.
• Redshirt junior Emma Morrison (Canton, Mich./Plymouth-Canton) made her first start of the season as well.
• The Beacons scored first for the first time in their six matches this season.
• Valpo earned just the third win in program history in 19 all-time matchups with Wright State. Valpo had been 0-3-2 in its last five meetings with the Raiders prior to Sunday.

Thoughts From Coach Marovich

“I’m proud of our team and how we responded today. It felt like we came out on the front foot and looked a lot like ourselves in terms of how we want to play and how we want to build. We grew into the game in the sense of managing services over the top and handling those better, and I thought we pressed very well off their goal kicks. Our attitude and energy were fantastic, which is what helped us get the result in the end.”

“In terms of finding ways to score goals and get the ball forward, I felt Landyn and Emma did a very good job in the wide channels taking players on. Sam and Addy did a lot of the work up front in terms of pressing, and their assists were well-deserved rewards for the work they put in.”

“Kate got her first start in the midfield today, and the pair of her and Molly did a very nice job — Molly was really good in winning the ball in the air in the middle of the park. Everyone in our back line held well today, adjusting to an injury back there, and I felt like they all put in a good shift. Hailey makes her first start in goal and makes the stops that we need from her to give us a chance to win the game.”

Next Up

Valpo (3-3-0) returns to Brown Field on Thursday evening when it hosts Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.