Valparaiso University

It was a roller-coaster ending to Homecoming and Family Weekend at Brown Field on Sunday afternoon, as after the Valpo soccer team surrendered a lead to visiting Indiana State with two minutes to play, Kiara Desiderio (St. John, Ind./Hanover Central) stepped up 30 seconds later and converted a penalty kick for the match-winning goal in a 2-1 victory for the Beacons.
 
How It Happened

• It was a scoreless first half, thanks in large part to the work in goal from Salange Bell (Montclair, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Academy [Montclair State]) on quality efforts by the Sycamores. Bell went to ground twice to turn away Indiana State shots in the third and 24^th minutes, and then pushed another strong attempt up and over the bar in the 39^th minute.
• As she has so often this year, Martha Goddard (London, England/Alleyns School) found the back of the net to open the scoring in the 63^rd minute. The move started with Desiderio winning the ball in the midfield and sending a pass down the left flank for Julianna De Simone (Elmhurst, Ill./York Community). De Simone sent a cross from the left edge of the box in the air to the middle, where it was headed out by a Sycamore defender. But the clear only went as far as Goddard, who brought it down with her right foot and with her next touch ripped a right-footed shot from 13 yards out that rippled the right-side netting of the goal.
• Bell made another big stop in the 74^th minute, lunging to her left on a shot from the edge of the box and getting her fingertips enough on the shot to push it wide of the post.
• Indiana State continued to press forward after the Beacons' opening goal and was able to find the equalizer with two minutes remaining, as Meagyn Riffle hit a shot from the corner of the box that found the top-right corner. The goal was reviewed for a possible offside call on the Sycamores, but stood.
• The Beacons pushed forward right from the kickoff after the Sycamores' goal and their effort paid off almost immediately, as an ISU player was called for a handball in the box — a call which stood following video review. Desiderio took the ball, placed it on the spot and then dispatched a right-footed shot into the top-left corner to give Valpo the winning tally.

 
Inside the Match

• The match-winning goal from Desiderio which gave the Beacons three points on the MVC table came with 1:29 remaining on the clock — Valpo's latest match-winner since Kelsey Jahn scored with 27 seconds remaining in a win at Missouri State to open the 2017 Valley slate.
• Desiderio has four goals in the last four matches and is now up to six goals on the season and 13 for her career. The latter mark is already just two shy of Valpo's career top-10 chart, despite Desiderio being just past the halfway point of her sophomore year.
• The winner was the first successful penalty kick of Desiderio's collegiate career — she had one early-season effort last year against Eastern Illinois which was saved.
• Goddard's goal was her seventh of the season, already just one shy of the program single-season top-10 chart, and the 10^th of her career. Like Desiderio, Goddard has four goals in the last four matches.
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• Bell was one shy of her season high as she made six saves, including a number of stellar stops.
• Indiana State held a 17-14 advantage in shots and put seven shots on goal to Valpo's six. The Sycamores also attempted seven corner kicks versus the Beacons' two.
• Valpo has scored in seven of its 11 matches this season, and in all seven of those matches the Beacons have tallied multiple goals. That is easily a program high, as previously, the 2006 side had four multi-goal games before finally having a one-goal game.
• Sunday's win snapped a brief two-match winning streak in the series by the Sycamores. Valpo owns a 15-5-2 advantage in the all-time series — the 15 wins are tied with Purdue Fort Wayne for the most wins over a single opponent in program history.
• The Beacons improved to 3-0-0 this season against fellow Indiana-based programs.

 
Thoughts From Coach Marovich
"I'm really pleased with this group today, starting with getting a big three points in conference play. Our back line did a great job winning aerial duels in the defensive third, and there were periods in the first half where we had sustained time in the attacking third and created real pressure. The second half stretched out on both ends, which opened up chances for both teams, but that's the nature of a Missouri Valley Conference game."
 
"Martha's goal to put us ahead was a big moment, and she was active in the attacking third all afternoon producing four shots, three on target, and the finish that mattered. Julianna DeSimone created this opportunity by winning the endline and getting a good left foot cross into the box. Martha was able to collect the ISU clearance and put it away. Winning games in the Valley is always a battle, and we knew we'd have to fight to the very end."
 
"Giving up the equalizer that late was a difficult moment, but our response was exactly how this team has competed all year. We responded with What's Important Now, that is get a solid service into the attacking third right at the kickoff, which Daisy Boardman executed perfectly. This allowed us to press in our attacking third. That pressure created the handball in the box, earning a penalty. Kiara buried it, and then the group saw it out. That's how we move on to what's important now, and this team did it in about thirty seconds."
 
"Today is why coaching this group is so much fun. They responded in a great way and earned three points for it. Being part of Homecoming weekend, finishing with a win and ringing the bell was a special moment for everyone."
 
Next Up
Valpo (5-5-1, 1-1-0 MVC) hits the road for the first time in nearly a month next weekend, as the Beacons play next Sunday, October 4 at Murray State. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.