Valparaiso University

The Valpo soccer team looked in good shape to take all three points Sunday afternoon at UNI, leading into the final 10 minutes, but the host Panthers struck for an equalizing goal in the 83^rd minute as the match concluded in a 1-1 draw.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo applied pressure early and made it pay off in the 20^th minute. Martha Goddard (London, England/Alleyns School) won the ball in the midfield and took one touch to approach the halfway line before hitting a pass to a streaking Sofia Raco (Mississauga, Ont./Holy Name of Mary College School), who was making a run between the center backs. The pass was on target, leaving Raco with a one-on-one with the UNI keeper, and the freshman calmly circled the goalie at the top of the box before scoring into the open net.
• The Beacons maintained that lead for more than 60 minutes, keeping the Panthers at bay until deep in the second half. But in the 83^rd minute, Kailey O'Brien took a free kick from distance which bounced in the box and found its way into the upper-left corner of the goal for the equalizer.

 
Inside the Match

• Raco's goal was the second of the season for the freshman, making her the fourth different Beacon with multiple goals this year.
• After recording five assists last year as a rookie, Goddard's helper Sunday was her first of the season. She has a team-high 15 points this year, tied for second among MVC players.
• Salange Bell (Montclair, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Academy [Montclair State]) made a season-high eight saves in goal to preserve the draw.
• UNI held an 18-11 advantage in shots and a 9-7 edge in shots on goal, with many of its shots being speculative efforts from distance. Perhaps more telling as to the balance of the match is the fact that Valpo held an 8-1 advantage in corner kicks and possessed the ball in its attacking half for 66% of its possession versus the Panthers' 52%.
• The draw was just the second of the season for the Beacons and their first in MVC play. It was also just the third tie in 16 all-time meetings against UNI and the first that wasn't a 0-0 draw.
• Valpo scored exactly one goal on Sunday after scoring either zero or two or more goals in each of its first 12 matches of the season.

 
Thoughts From Coach Marovich
"It's a tough way to earn a point on the road when you're up a goal late. But a point in the Valley is still a point, and we'll take it and move forward."
 
"We had a lot of positive moments today — things we worked on during the week showed up. We created shots and got good service into the box. Sofia's goal was a solid finish, and it came off a pattern of play we talked about in training all week. That's rewarding to see them translate to the match."
 
"The final touch wasn't quite there enough today, and we conceded on a ball that bounced inside the box. That's a problem we have to clean up, and we paid the price for it. This is the Valley — every match is a battle and every point is contested."
 
"We put our focus on the week ahead. We've got two home matches, Thursday and Sunday, and we're looking forward to being back at Brown Field."
 
Next Up
Valpo (5-6-2, 1-2-1 MVC) is home for both matches this coming week, starting with a Thursday night matchup on Brown Field against Southern Illinois at 7 p.m.