M OR N IN GS ID E C O L L E G E
M ATC HDAY - M A RC H 2 7, 2 0 2 1
MUSTANG SOCCER Dordt University pays a visit to Elwood Olsen Stadium this afternoon as Morningside College concludes its pre-Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships schedule. The Mustangs, sporting an 11-3-1 record, have split a pair of previous spring season matches, upending MidAmerica Nazarene and battling National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ top 20-ranked Baker University in an extra session defeat. DU is playing its only spring pre-conference championship contest today, as they enter with a 6-6-2 record.
The Match-Up In early October, a 3-0 victory at Sioux Center gave head coach Tom Maxon’s program a slim 3-2 edge in the last five meetings against the Defenders. The all-time annals couldn’t be much closer, with Morningside having a 10-8 advantage due to seven victories in the last nine matches. In Mside’s most recent action, a 1-0 overtime loss at No. 18-ranked Baker March 13; the host Wildcats kept the ball on their guests half of the field for a good share of the almost 98-minute extra session contest. Senior goalkeeper Alexandra Homan and the defense made things challenging in finding the back of the net, though. Homan compiled a pair of saves against a 12-4 home side shot advantage. Freshman midfielder Anna Ljulijic and freshman defender Maddie Moore rifled off shot on frame attempts at Baker’s net, but neither got Morningside on the scoreboard. BU finally unlocked the scoreless draw in the 97th minute for the victory. Homan’s Sunflower State play kept her firmly within the national statistical top 15. Her .480 goals-against average is 13th-lowest. The senior netminder’s work also figures into similar team standing, as the Mustangs are 12th in shutouts (eight) and 33rd in shutouts per contest (.53). Maxon’s spring roster has six individuals with two-or-more goals. The freshman midfielder tandem of Eva Geiben and Sina Feeser lead the way with three successful offensive strikes. Feeser also has four assists to her credit for a squad-best 10 points among current roster members.
ABOUT THE DEFENDERS Senior midfielder Alaina Van Zalen has been one of the conference, region, and nation’s top offensive players in shots this season. She ranks 28th in attempts on frame per outing (2.57) and 37th in total shot tries (4.29 pg). Head coach Alex Durbin’s squad has been a tricky puzzle to solve for opposing offenses. Freshman goalkeeper Eliana Van Hulzen is among the top 40 in goals-against average (.86), while the team’s six shutouts and 80 saves are also part of the best 50.