Valparaiso University

Despite having to sit out a weather delay of about two hours, the Valpo women's soccer team put together a strong performance on both sides of the break, handling play well throughout as it earned a 2-0 win at Purdue Fort Wayne Thursday afternoon into the evening.
 
How It Happened

• A dominant first-half performance didn't come through on the scoresheet until a pair of substitutes teamed up in the 37^th minute. Sophia Bonacci (The Woodlands, Texas/IMG Academy) gained control in the defensive half and sent a long ball on the left side to a streaking Sofia Raco (Mississauga, Ont./Holy Name of Mary College School). Past the last defender, Raco ran onto it after it had traveled 40 yards, took two touches and set a left-footed shot around the oncoming keeper and into the back of the net to give the Beacons a 1-0 lead.
• With 1:59 to play in the opening half, the game entered a delay due to lightning in the area and remained in that state for right around two hours.
• When things finally cleared up, the teams returned to the pitch, played the final 119 seconds of the first half and enjoyed a brief five-minute intermission before kicking off the second 45.
• The second half was more of the same in terms of Valpo having the better of play, and the Beacons turned it into an insurance goal in the 67^th minute. A six-touch sequence led to Martha Goddard (London, England/Alleyns School) gaining possession on the left side of the box. The sophomore took two touches, the second of which saw her cut back in and send her defender flying by, allowing her a shooting lane. Her effort from 14 yards out went through the Mastodon keeper's legs and across the goal line to make it 2-0 Valpo.

 
Inside the Match

• The win was Valpo's second in as many seasons over the Mastodons, improving its record in the all-time series to 15-6-1.
• It was the Beacons' second clean sheet of the year, as they had previously blanked Western Illinois. Salange Bell (Montclair, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Academy [Montclair State]) earned her first shutout in goal at the D-I level with relatively light work given Valpo's dominance, making one save.
• Raco's match-winning goal was the first of her collegiate career and was her third goal involvement through six matches.
• Bonacci recorded the first point of her collegiate career with the helper on Raco's goal. After seeing just 43 minutes of play over the first five matches of the season, the freshman contributed 36 minutes on Thursday.
• Goddard's insurance goal was her team-best third of the campaign. She has already matched her freshman year total in the goals department just six matches into the season.
• Valpo finished the match with a 17-7 advantage in shot attempts, putting seven on goal to Purdue Fort Wayne's one. The Beacons also held a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks.

 
Thoughts From Coach Marovich
"I'm super proud of the team tonight. A 2-0 win with a shutout is a really good defensive effort, especially under difficult circumstances. We had close to a two-hour delay, had to come back out, and put together another really solid second half. It was a strong group performance, top to bottom."
 
"I thought we did a nice job being plus-one in the back, which made things a lot easier on us in terms of gathering the ball and stopping their counterattacks. Lily Printz did a really nice job going the full 90, and there were a lot of good performances across the group. It truly was a group effort in circumstances that were far from normal."
 
"I'm super excited for Sofia Raco to get her first goal — she was thrilled, and it was great to see her find the back of the net, especially off an assist from a classmate in Sophia Bonacci. It was also great to see Martha score again as well. We got a lot of players into the game tonight and gained a lot of valuable experiences. That's what these games are for. We learned a lot, and I'm proud of our team for rising up and staying focused on the job at hand."
 
"The way the team performed tonight shows the mentality we've been building over the first three weeks. We've had our ups and downs, but we've stayed together mentally, and that showed. We've talked about trigger words to help us refocus and get to the next task, and I heard those from the bench tonight, not just on the pitch. That's why this group is really coming together. Now we look forward to getting back to Valpo and getting ready for Sunday."
 
Next Up
Valpo (2-3-1) closes out a three-match road stretch Sunday afternoon at Milwaukee. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.