Women’s soccer set to honor eight seniors in Saturday tilt versus Northwestern
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University women’s soccer team (9-2-2, 3-0-2 GPAC) will put its unbeaten conference mark on the line on Saturday when it hosts Northwestern as part of senior day on campus. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. from Bulldog Stadium. The two teams are separated by just a single point in the league standings. Concordia is 4-1 at home while Northwestern is 2-3-1 on the road.
GAME INFO
Northwestern (5-8-1, 3-2-1) at Concordia (9-2-2, 3-0-2)
Saturday, Oct. 18, 5 p.m.
Site: Seward, Neb.
Stadium: Bulldog Stadium
Webcast: Concordia Sports Network
Head coach Greg Henson’s squad began the week with a 1-1 double overtime draw at Nebraska Wesleyan (7-4-2, 3-2-1 GPAC) on Wednesday. The Bulldogs earned a point on the road despite injuries that sidelined significant players like freshman Jessica Skerston (team-leading 12 goals) and sophomore Jordan McCoy. In addition, the Prairie Wolves held a 15-5 advantage in shots.
Concordia’s 9-2-2 record marks the best 13-game start in school history. The 3-0-2 conference record is the best five-game GPAC start since the 2005 team won its first five league games en route to a 7-3-1 GPAC mark. With 30 goals scored and 12 allowed this season, the Bulldogs’ plus-18 goal differential ranks second among all GPAC teams, behind only Hastings (outscored opponents 39-11).
Individually, Skerston’s 12 goals are tied for the third most among all GPAC players. She also ranks 22nd nationally in the goal-scoring department. Senior forward Melissa Stine, the team’s second leading scorer with four goals, ranks in a tie for fourth on the conference leaderboard with five assists. Sophomore goalkeeper Chrissy Lind sits fourth in the conference in goals against average with a figure of 0.96 (43rd nationally).
Meanwhile, the visiting Red Raiders have won their last two games by identical scores of 1-0 over Mount Marty (Oct. 7) and Dakota Wesleyan (Oct. 10). Forward Tyler Farr has equaled Skerston with 12 goals on the season, including one apiece in each of her past three games. She has also pulled a hat trick on two occasions. As a team, Northwestern ranks eighth in the GPAC with an average of 1.57 goals scored per game and ninth in goals allowed per game (2.29). However, the Red Raiders have not surrendered a goal in more than 210 minutes of game action.
Introducing the 2014 Concordia women’s soccer senior class
(Quotes provided by the underclassmen)
#7 Marcie Sindt
-Parents: Mike and Brenda Sindt
-Scottsbluff, Neb.
“Marcie is a honeybadger. She is an incredible leader for our team, knowing when it is better to joke around or if it is time to push us to work harder. She is a bulldozer on the field, and her toughness and work ethic will be greatly missed. Marcie, we love you.”
#8 Meredith Hein
-Parents: Marty and Deb Hein
-Hometown: Lincoln, Neb.
“Meredith encourages us every day with her positive attitude, hard work, and love of soccer. She is always keeping us on our toes, whether it be with her witty jokes or with her incredible shots, and she will always be our favorite swid. We love you and will miss you. Mere, you really are the best.”
#11 Ashlie Sklenicka
Parents: Brice and Traci Sklenicka
-Hometown: Lincoln, Neb.
“Ashlie has a real love for the game; she is aggressive, resilient, and a little grabby at times. While she is intimidating to play against, she can also be a lot of fun and is so good at including everyone on the team. Ash, your passion for soccer is something that we all look up to you for. We love you so much.”
#14 Annalisa Condame
-Parents: Kurt and Kristi Oettl
-Hometown: Winter Springs, Fla.
“Annalisa is simultaneously the princess, diva, and spiritual leader of our team. Her happy dance, sassiness, and drive to never give up on the field are just a few of the many unique contributions that she brings to the team. Tom, your love for our team is one of a kind, and we love you so much. You will be dearly missed.”
#17 Emmalynn Rodriguez
Parents: Pastor Joe Rodriguez and Eunice Rodriguez
Hometown: Kansas City, Mo.
“Emmalynn is the team mom, who cares for her teammates like no one else. Whenever she steps on the field she has a positive impact, because of her hard-work and dedication that she has to soccer. Roddy, you are our favorite sweetheart. We love you, and you will be dearly missed.”
#20 Katrina Muther
Parents: Tim and Julie Muther
Hometown: Rockford, Ill.
“Katrina is a fighter. Her ability to overcome obstacles on and off the field is an inspiration to us. Her leadership, aggressiveness, and high-pitched screeches all motivate us to be better soccer players. We love you kat, and we will miss you so much.”
#22 Melissa Stein
-Parents: Ken and Terry Stine
-Hometown: Omaha, Neb.
“Melissa is the definition of consistency. We love Mel's ability to "keep it real." Her speed, agility, and ability to dribble past anyone constantly amazes us. She leads our team by example and will be impossible to replace. Mel, we love you and will miss you so much.”
#29 Rachel Mussell
-Parents: August and Lori Mussell
-Hometown: Buffalo, Minn.
“Rachel is the glue that holds our team together, both on and off the field. While Rachel is one of the nicest people that you will ever meet, she isn't afraid to keep us accountable and to believe in us through thick and thin. Also, she has legs of a goddess. Moose, we love you so much, and we miss you already.”