Mustang
SOCCER SATURDAY, OCT. 2 Morningside University looks for a rebound from recent toughluck results this evening during their Homecoming Week 2021 doubleheader. Doane University is the Mustangs’ guest. Head coach Jennifer Kennedy-Croft’s women’s team stands 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the conference. Head coach Tony Odorisio’s men’s side is 1-7-1 overall and 1-2-1 in the league.
THE SERIES Head coach Tom Maxon’s men’s program has won four straight and five of the last six against the Tigers. However, the previous three meetings have been decided by one goal. The women’s recent trend has Mside claiming the only two meetings between the Great Plains Athletic Conference foes. The Mustangs won 2-0 in 2019 and 3-1 in 2020.
THE MATCH-UP A five-person underclasswoman group tops Morningside’s offense through eight matches. Newcomer midfielder Nathalie Larsson and midfielder/forward Victoria Stausholm are at the front of the class with five and four goals, respectively. Sophomore forward/defender Jil Hellerforth (three goals) and freshmen midfielders Antonia Janssen and Julie Raffel (two goals each) are next in line. Narrow misses throughout both extra sessions on Sept. 29 left the Mustangs wondering what might have been in conference road action. Trying to move up the league standings, Morningside battled the Broncos, a fellow top-six resident, tooth and nail on their home pitch at Lloyd Wilson Field over 110 tense minutes. Mside held a considerable advantage in offensive attempts (22-9), of which ten were struck at the home side’s net. However, the only successful try came from Larsson, who took a placement from Hellerforth and found paydirt in the 35th minute. Larsson’s team-leading fifth goal of the year kept the visitors in front on the scoreboard until the early stages of the second half when Hastings responded for a 1-1 tie. From that point on, Maxon’s crew had eight strikes either saved, hit the post, or rebounded off the crossbar for what would have been the potential match-winner. Senior goalkeeper Sarah Finn and Hastings net minder Sofie Jackson-Pedersen turned in key numbers that led to the draw. Finn had four saves among the Broncos’ nine total shots, and JacksonPedersen posted nine saves versus the Mustangs’ offense. It’s a similar story for the men’s offense over nine contests. Senior midfielder Moritz Lusch and junior forward Robin Thomala have successfully found the back of the opponent’s nets five times. In contrast, senior midfielder Noah Aniser and sophomore forwards
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