2020 Women's Soccer Schedule/Results
11-6-2 overall | 9-2-1 GPAC (T-2nd) | Season Stats | Roster
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the season was split between the fall and spring.
*GPAC Tournament Champions*
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time/Result | Record |
| Sept. 9 | Bellevue University | Seward, Neb. | L, 0-1 (OT) | 0-1 |
| Sept. 19 | *Mount Marty College | Yankton, S.D. | W, 12-0 | 1-1, 1-0 |
| Sept. 23 | *Dordt University | Sioux Center, Iowa | W, 1-0 | 2-1, 2-0 |
| Sept. 26 | *Northwestern College | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-0 | 3-1, 3-0 |
| Oct. 3 | *Dakota Wesleyan University (HC) | Seward, Neb. | L, 0-1 | 3-2, 3-1 |
| Oct. 7 | *Morningside College | Sioux City, Iowa | L, 0-3 | 3-3, 3-2 |
| Oct. 10 | *University of Jamestown | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-1 (OT) | 4-3, 4-2 |
| Oct. 14 | *College of Saint Mary | Omaha, Neb. | W, 1-0 (OT) | 5-3, 5-2 |
| Oct. 17 | *Hastings College | Seward, Neb. | W, 1-0 | 6-3, 6-2 |
| Oct. 28 | *Doane University | Seward, Neb. | W, 7-0 | 7-3, 7-2 |
| Nov. 4 | *Midland University | Fremont, Neb. | T, 2-2 (2 OT) | 7-3-1, 7-2-1 |
| Nov. 8 | *Presentation College | Aberdeen, S.D. | W, 5-0 | 8-3-1, 8-2-1 |
| Nov. 14 | *Briar Cliff University | Seward, Neb. | W, 1-0 | 9-3-1, 9-2-1 |
| March 6 | Southwestern College (Kan.) | Winfield, Kan. | L, 0-1 (2 OT) | 9-4-1 |
| March 20 | Benedictine College (Kan.) | Atchison, Kan. | L, 0-1 | 9-5-1 |
| March 27 | Grand View University (Iowa) | Seward, Neb. | L, 1-2 (2 OT) | 9-6-1 |
| GPAC Tournament | ||||
| April 3 | Dakota Wesleyan (GPAC Quarterfinals) | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-1 | 10-6-1 |
| April 6 | Midland University (GPAC Semifinals) | Seward, Neb. | T, 0-0 (2 OT) | 10-6-2 |
| *Concordia advances on PKs, 5-4 | ||||
| April 9 | Jamestown (GPAC Championship) | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-1 | 11-6-2 |
| NAIA National Championship Opening Round | ||||
| April 15 | (3) Keiser University (Fla.) | Columbia, Mo. | COVID No Contest |
2020 Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
| 00 | Kassidy Johnson | GK | 5-7 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Raymond Central HS |
| 0 | Kalie Ward | GK | 5-5 | Jr. | Cheyenne, Wyo. | Loudoun County HS |
| 1 | Lindsey Carley | GK | 5-5 | Sr. | Urbandale, Iowa | Johnston HS |
| 2 | Allee Downing | F | 5-4 | So. | Sioux City, Iowa | Sioux City East HS |
| 3 | Michaela Twito | MF | 5-5 | Sr. | Ames, Iowa | Ames HS |
| 4 | Callie McNary | F | 5-7 | Jr. | Hastings, Minn. | Hastings HS |
| 5 | Victoria Cera | MF | 4-11 | Sr. | Las Vegas, Nev. | Centennial HS |
| 6 | Sydney Rogers | MF | 5-6 | Jr. | Overland Park, Kan. | Blue Valley HS |
| 7 | Isabel Sloss | F | 5-6 | So. | Carlsbad, Calif. | Sage Creek HS |
| 8 | Bethany Fuchs | F | 5-4 | Jr. | Aurora, Colo. | Eaglecrest HS / W Nebraska CC |
| 9 | Madeline Haugen | MF | 5-6 | Jr. | San Diego, Calif. | Valhalla HS |
| 10 | Aliyah Aldama | MF | 5-5 | So. | Torrance, Calif. | North HS |
| 11 | Ashley Camacho | D | 5-3 | Jr. | Las Vegas, Nev. | North Idaho / Shadow Ridge HS |
| 12 | Sarah Wuthrich | F | 5-8 | Sr. | Encinitas, Calif. | La Costa Canyon HS |
| 13 | Jennika Chapman | MF | 5-3 | Sr. | Westminster, Colo. | Jefferson Academy |
| 14 | Katie Miles | F | 5-2 | Jr. | Marshall, Mo. | Marshall HS |
| 15 | Lisa McClain | F | 5-4 | So. | Fraser, Colo. | Middle Park HS |
| 16 | Ashlee Long | D | 5-7 | So. | Kathleen, Ga. | Perry HS |
| 16 | Kaitlyn Radebaugh | F | 5-5 | Sr. | Roca, Neb. | Norris HS |
| 17 | Jaiden Beecher | MF | 5-3 | So. | Omaha, Neb. | Millard West HS |
| 18 | Chelsea Bright | D | 5-5 | Sr. | Van Meter, Iowa | Van Meter HS |
| 19 | Annika Munch | D | 5-5 | Fr. | Kansas City, Mo. | Park Hill South HS |
| 20 | Sydney Ross | D | 5-3 | Fr. | Elkhorn, Neb. | Skutt Catholic HS |
| 21 | Mikeila Martinez | MF | 5-5 | Jr. | Fairfield, Calif. | Armijo HS |
| 22 | Ellie Eason | D | 5-6 | So. | Kirkland, Wash. | Juanita HS |
| 23 | Grace Soenksen | D | 5-5 | So. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran HS |
| 24 | Kadyn Lane | MF | 5-6 | So. | Las Vegas, Nev. | Faith Lutheran HS |
| 25 | Hannah Haas | MF | 5-4 | Fr. | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Doherty HS |
| 26 | Caitlin Davis | D | 5-3 | So. | Granby, Colo. | Middle Park HS |
| 27 | Cassie Montiel | D | 5-2 | Sr. | Columbus, Neb. | Columbus HS |
| 28 | Emily Sanders | MF | 5-7 | Sr. | Shawnee, Kan. | Shawnee Mission Northwest HS |
| 29 | Lina Kirst | MF | 5-7 | So. | Montevideo, Uruguay | Uruguayan American School |
| 30 | Cheyenne Smith | D | 5-7 | Jr. | Alpine, Calif. | Granite Hills HS |
| 31 | Brandee Smith | F | 5-2 | So. | Camarillo, Calif. | Adolfo Camarillo HS |
| 32 | Grace Weiss | MF | Fr. | Beaufort, Ala. | Union HS | |
| 33 | Zoe Peterson | MF | 5-11 | Fr. | Eagle, Neb. | Waverly HS |
| 41 | Bradi Ore | GK | 5-6 | So. | Englewood, Colo. | Northwest HS / Allen CC |
STAFF
Thomas Goines, Head Coach (1st Year)
Chris Luther, Assistant Coach
Andrea Borray Ortiz, Graduate Assistant Coach
Jack Bennett, Goalkeeper Coach
Brynn Suddeth, Student Coach
Season preview: 2020 Concordia Women's Soccer
August 24, 2020
Head Coach: Thomas Goines (1st season at Concordia; 73-55-16 in 8 years)
2019 Record: 6-11-2 overall; 6-4-2 GPAC (6th)
Key Returners: MF Aliyah Aldama; MF Jaiden Beecher GK Lindsey Carley; MF Tori Cera; F Allee Downing; D Ellie Eason; MF Madeline Haugen; MF Mikeila Martinez; F Callie McNary; D Cheyenne Smith; D Grace Soenksen; MF Michaela Twito.
Key Newcomers: F Bethany Fuchs; D Annika Munch; D Sydney Ross.
Key Losses: MF Morgan Raska; F Brynn Suddeth;
2019 GPAC All-Conference: Tori Cera (First Team); Lindsey Carley (Second Team); Michaela Twito (Second Team); Morgan Raska (Honorable Mention); Grace Soenksen (Honorable Mention).
Outlook
After a long wait, many safety protocols and a head coaching change, the 2020 Concordia Women’s Soccer season is right around the corner. It is a new season and new regime for the Bulldogs, as Thomas Goines will be taking over at the helm. Goines is the third head coach in three years, following Chris Luther and Greg Henson. While this is his first season at CUNE, Goines is a byproduct of the Concordia system having previously coached at Concordia-Chicago and graduated from Concordia-Wisconsin.
Goines holds a 73-55-16 career record in eight years of coaching. Goines has recent coaching stops at Barton (2015-2018) and Concordia-Chicago (2011-2014). During his time at CU-Chicago, Goines guided the Cougars to 43 wins making him the winningest coach in program history. It is a unique time to be taking over a program, but Goines and his staff have tried to make the most of teambuilding during the global pandemic.
After months of uncertainty, the women’s soccer team is thankful for the opportunity to return to campus and ready for the opportunity to take the field. Senior Midfielder Tori Cera is not taking her last year in Seward for granted.
“You have to appreciate everything that we have, especially now,” Cera stated. “I know other people do not have that same opportunity. We are just trying to make the best of everything we have and trying to be optimistic at the same time.”
With the new protocols set forth by the NAIA, it has been a peculiar preseason for all sports. Typically, preseason practices precede classes, which gives the team more time to interact and get accustomed to each other. This year the NAIA start date for team practices was August 15, a week after fall classes started. As a result, there has been limited team-based activity, which can be an obstacle for a program with a first-year head coach.
“It has been a challenge,” Goines said. “Taking on a new program anytime is tough because you have to go through the process of learning your team, getting feedback and all those other fun things when it comes to making your program your own. COVID has been a unique experience for us all. I have been very happy with the girl’s energy throughout all of this. They have taken everything in stride… We have tried to build as much communication as we could in the offseason. Going into preseason, the energy has been really good and has been a positive environment for everybody, so I have been really happy with that.”
Due to the delayed start from COVID-19, the non-conference schedule was also limited. As a result, the Bulldogs will have a scrimmage and one non-conference match-up before opening GPAC play. Along with the change of scheduling, teams are required to follow mask mandated policies and social distance as much as possible.
“We have been making sure everyone has masks when we go to the field for training,” Cera added. “Making sure we wear them before and after practice, especially in the locker room since we share that with women’s basketball. We are making sure that we are following all of the policies.”
Last year, the Bulldogs faltered to an 0-6 start before picking up the pace to finish with a 6-11-2 record. Offensive production was a vital issue for Concordia, which struggled to put the ball in the net, scoring only 19 goals in 19 games. Of those 19 goals, Concordia returns 74% of scoring, including leading scorer senior Tori Cera, who netted four goals in 2019. In addition to Cera, JUCO transfer Bethany Fuchs will provide a scoring spark. Fuchs netted eight goals last season while at Western Nebraska Community College. The Bulldogs will look toward having a more balanced attack this year. Some ways Coach Goines and the coaching staff will look to increase scoring efforts in 2020 is by developing a relentless mentality that focuses on physical speed, strong defense and an up-tempo attack designed to drive opponents out of their comfort zones. As a result, the Bulldogs believe this will open more scoring opportunities through transition.
While last season’s record was unexpected, there are plenty of reasons to believe they will be contenders in 2020. Before last season Concordia made five straight GPAC tournament title game appearances. The senior class is no strangers to success with a combined recorded of 34-16-11, two GPAC Tournament Runner-up finishes and a GPAC regular-season title. Seniors Lindsey Carley (goalkeeper), Tori Cera (midfielder) and Michaela Twito (midfielder), were starters on the 2017 GPAC title team. The rest of the senior class will be expected to carry leadership duties due to their wealth of experience and previous success.
“We really have to use them as a sounding board in a lot of ways,” Goines added. “One, how the program was ran before me. What has been successful, what are the ins they want to keep and what are some changes. We use those players who have been through the grind to help develop some expectations. They are the teachers for the younger players when it comes to mentality and especially the defensive side of the ball. Having those players who have been through playing against the top talent and region, those girls can speak to what it does take to have success. We really lean on those girls to really impart some of the attitude and energy.”
Returners who are also expected to provide a spark in 2020 include midfielders Aliyah Aldama, Jaiden Beecher, Madeline Haugen and Mikeila Martinez. Forward, Callie McNary, defenders, Cheyenne Smith and Grace Soenksen, who was an All-GPAC honorable mention as a freshman. Together returnees accounted for 150 combined starts during the 2019 season.
In an age when there are many unknowns, one consistency in 2020 will be the Bulldogs' mentality and expectations when they step on the pitch.
“I always keep the expectation high,” Goines affirmed. “We always expect excellence. Every time we step on the field, our mindset is that we are going to win. That is what we are going to play to do… Every match, we want to put in the energy and effort required to be a champion that day. If the lord does not give us a victory that day, we will figure out how to get one the next. I set a high bar for them and if we don’t meet it one day we will the next day.”
The new era in Concordia Women’s Soccer is slated to start on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 5:30 p.m. CT as they play host to Bellevue University.
Bulldogs open at sixth in GPAC preseason poll
August 27, 2020
GPAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
SEWARD, Neb. – While the Concordia Women’s Soccer team finished with a winning conference record in 2019, they would love to improve from their sixth-place finish last season. Sixth place is exactly where the Bulldogs have been slated to finish in the 2020 GPAC Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll. Concordia accumulated 85 points in the poll.
Concordia will have a new and vastly different look in 2020 with Head Coach Thomas Goines taking over the helm. Goines comes from NCAA Division II Barton College, where he was the winningest head coach in program history.
While there is a new face on the sideline, Concordia returns a wealth of experience. Four 2019 All-GPAC performers are returning – midfielder Tori Cera (first team), goalkeeper Lindsey Carley (second team), midfielder Michaela Twito (second team) and defender Grace Soenksen (honorable mention). Collectively they have combined for 152 career starts.
Goines has already made it clear on what style of play the rest of the GPAC can expect from the Bulldogs this year.
“Fast. We want to be fast,” Goines stated. “Obviously, physical speed needs to be high, but we also want our tempo to be high. We want to keep teams out of their comfort zone by keeping teams out of their normal speed. We want to speed it up to a level they might not be used to, so we are playing in our comfort zone. It will take time to develop, but once you get to pushing teams paces, it creates a lot of opportunities.”
The Goines era for Concordia Women’s Soccer is slated to start on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 5:30 p.m. CT as they play host to Bellevue University.
2020 GPAC Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll
*First-place votes in parentheses
1. Midland – 142 (10)
2. Jamestown – 127 (1)
3. Hastings – 124 (2)
4. Briar Cliff – 113
5. Dordt – 90
6. Concordia – 85
7. Northwestern – 80
8. Morningside – 72
9. College of Saint Mary – 61
10. Dakota Wesleyan – 45
11. Doane - 28
12. Mount Marty – 25
13. Presentation– 22
Bulldogs host Bellevue to kick-off the 2020 season
September 7, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs will begin the Thomas Goines era as they kick-off the 2020 season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, as they host Bellevue University at 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 09 vs. Bellevue (1-0), 5:30 p.m.
Following a 6-11-2 season, the Concordia Bulldogs are looking to rebound in 2020. Concordia knows just how crucial a strong start can be as last year they were hampered by a 0-6 start in which they were held scoreless throughout the first five games of the season. This year’s Bulldogs were slated at sixth in the GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Concordia will have a new look this season under first-year Head Coach Thomas Goines who has instilled an up-tempo style and relentless defensive mentality upon his arrival.
The Bulldogs have plenty of experience back in 2020, including All-GPAC performers Senior Midfielder Tori Cera (First Team), Senior Goalkeeper Lindsey Carley (Second Team), Senior Midfielder Michaela Twito (Second Team) and Sophomore Defender Grace Soenksen (Second Team). Seven players return who made at least 15 starts last season. The Bulldogs also return 69 percent of both points and goals from 2019. Concordia will rely on this experience to increase its offensive production during the 2020 season.
The Bruins of Bellevue University will be the lone non-conference opponent slated for the Bulldogs due to COVID-19 wiping out the rest of the non-conference schedule. Bellevue opened its season this past Saturday as they blanked fellow GPAC member Doane 5-0. Junior College transfer Midfielder Bruna Cola Bielski led headlined the box score for Bellevue as she netted two goals and picked up an assist as well.
Following the game against Bellevue, Concordia has a ten-day layoff before opening up GPAC action on Saturday, Sept. 19 when they travel to Mount Marty.
Concordia drops opener in overtime
September 9, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – The first game of the Thomas Goines era felt like a late-season match as temperatures hovered in the low 40’s with a steady drizzle across Bulldog Stadium. In a fierce defensive battle on Wednesday (Sept. 9) evening, the Bulldogs lost in a heartbreaker by dropping a 1-0 overtime decision to Bellevue University.
The Concordia-Bellevue matchup marks the second consecutive overtime loss to Bellevue as the Bruins took a 2-1 decision back in 2019. The loss is Concordia’s fifth straight to Bellevue dating back to 2015.
Due to COVID-19 limiting the athletic competition window and inflicting protocols, Goines’ squad did not get any scrimmages before the matchup with the perennial national tournament contender.
“We have been waiting for months to play someone other than ourselves,” said Goines. “All of the returners missed their spring and most of our high school girls missed their senior year. This was their first competitive game for a lot of them in a long time. Not having scrimmages and having this be the first competitive match that any of them have seen in a long time; you can tell in warm-ups we had to slow them down. We told them that it’s alright, but they were all very anxious and excited just to be on the field.”
Concordia was with a limited line-up as they had only seven substitutes during the match. The Bulldogs had a significant absence without first-team All-GPAC performer Tori Cera, who led the Concordia in scoring last season.
“We were definitely short-handed – or more so than we would like to be,” Goines said. We asked a lot of young players to step up and take some roles against a very good team. They stepped up. We had a backline that started two freshmen and a handful of girls who are playing out of position just to be in a shape to be competitive.”
Bellevue (2-0) came into the matchup after blanking Doane 5-0 in their season opener. The Bruins sealed the win on midfielder Marilla Lages' unassisted goal in the 94th minute of play. Bellevue goalkeeper Sabrina Staufenbiel has yet to allow a goal this season through two matches.
From a defensive standpoint, senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley was solid as she recorded seven saves during regulation. Overall, the Bruins outshot the Bulldogs 10-6. Bellevue also held the upper hand in corner kicks by a 7-2 margin.
Junior transfer Bethany Fuchs made her Bulldog debut, recording a shot on goal during the match. In addition to Fuchs, freshmen Annika Munch and Sydney Ross also saw their first action in navy and white.
The Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 19, as they open GPAC play on the road at Mount Marty. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT in Yankton, S.D.
Bulldogs open GPAC play at Mount Marty
September 17, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – After a ten-day lay-off, the Concordia University women’s soccer team returns to the pitch this Saturday to open up GPAC play. Head coach Thomas Goines’ squad will end its idle stretch by playing at Mount Marty on Saturday. The venue will be Crane-Youngworth field in Yankton, S.D.
Saturday, Sept. 19 at Mount Marty (0-1, 0-1), 1 p.m.
- Live Stream
In the season opener, the Bulldogs lost a defensive battle to Bellevue 1-0 in overtime. During the matchup, the Bulldogs were outnumbered 8-2 on shots on goal. Senior Goalkeeper Lindsey Carley was solid in the season opener against Bellevue. The Urbandale, Iowa, native recorded seven saves in 94 minutes of action. The Bulldogs are hoping to have more of an arsenal available after playing shorthanded in the opener.
Finding the back of the net was a major obstacle for the Bulldogs in 2019. In the opener, good looks were still hard to come by for Concordia. Head Coach Thomas Goines' squad will be looking to increase offensive production in the future. Circumstances resulted in the Bulldogs playing more of a defensive style game plan last week.
The Concordia-Mount Marty series has been very lopsided in the Bulldogs' favor. Concordia is 14-0 against Mount Marty all-time while outscoring the Lancers by a combined score of 76-7. The Bulldogs took last year’s match by a score of 3-0.
The Lancers, owners of a nine-game losing streak dating back to 2019, dropped their home opener to Dordt 5-0. Dordt had its way in terms of possession and outnumbered the Lancers 13-3 on shots on goal and 28-4 on shots overall. The Lancers were picked to finish twelfth in the GPAC preseason poll.
Following the game at Mount Marty, Concordia will continue their road trip on Wednesday, Sept. 23, when it squares off against Dordt. Game time is set for 5 p.m. CT.
Dawgs pummel Mount Marty, Goines picks up first CUNE win
September 20, 2020
YANKTON, S.D. – In one single day on Saturday (Sept. 19), the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team put up more than half the number of goals it scored the entire 2019 season. Eight different Bulldogs found the back of the net in the 12-0 rout at Mount Marty, which marked the opening of conference play. Concordia had not played an official game since a 1-0 overtime loss to Bellevue on Sept. 9.
Head Coach Thomas Goines earned credit for his first coaching victory with the Bulldogs. He was more than happy to kick back and watch his team blister the goal.
“It was fun game and a good confidence builder to start the conference schedule,” Goines said. “We got everyone in the match and a lot of kids got on the scoresheet. I’m happy with the effort. We were able to do some things that made us look pretty good in the final third.”
Concordia has put together some lopsided wins over the Lancers over the years, but last season’s meeting resulted in a much tighter 3-0 victory. Goines never had to sweat this one out in the least bit. The Bulldogs left no doubt going into the halftime break. A 3-0 lead after nearly 30 minutes of play became an 8-0 advantage at the intermission. The final shot count showed a 27-2 ratio in favor of Concordia.
The goal scoring summary looked like this:
· 5’ – own goal
· 7’ – Jaiden Beecher
· 11’ – Mikeila Martinez
· 30’ – Mikeila Martinez
· 34’ – Aliyah Aldama
· 36’ – Jennika Chapman
· 41’ – Lina Kirst
· 45’ – Bethany Fuchs
· 61’ – Sydney Rogers
· 64’ – Sydney Ross
· 67’ – Jennika Chapman
· 88’ – Lina Kirst
Chapman, Martinez and Kirst put home two goals apiece. Chapman and Kirst also added an assist apiece. Twenty-three Bulldogs saw action in the game. At keeper, Lindsey Carley was called upon to make just one save in the clean sheet.
It’s safe to say Concordia handled the layoff between games quite well. Said Goines, “We were finally in position to have most of our athletes on the field. The mentality was right. We’ve taken an approach that every game counts towards a conference championship. They never left their foot off the gas and worked on what we needed to work on. That’s the attitude and mentality we need going forward.”
The 12 goals scored were the most for the program since it recorded exactly that same number at Mount Marty in 2018. First career goals were notched by Aldama, Chapman, Fuchs (had previous goals at a junior college), Kirst, Rogers and Ross.
The Bulldogs will continue conference play on Wednesday with a trip to Dordt (1-2-1, 0-1-1 GPAC). Kickoff from Sioux Center, Iowa, is set for 5 p.m. CT. The two sides played to a 2-2 double overtime draw in 2019.
Bulldogs looking to continue strong GPAC start
September 21, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After a dominant win, the Concordia University women’s soccer team continues its GPAC slate this week. The Bulldogs will travel to Dordt on Wednesday before returning home to host Northwestern on Saturday.
Wednesday, Sept. 23 at Dordt (1-2-1, 0-1-1), 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 26 vs. Northwestern (0-2-1, 0-2), 1 p.m.
- Livestream
In the GPAC opener, the Bulldogs decimated Mount Marty 12-0. The Bulldogs put the match away well before halftime as they held an 8-0 lead at intermission. Concordia put 26 shots on goal compared to Mount Marty’s one. Eight different Bulldogs found the back of the net during the match. Senior Jennika Chapman, junior Mikeila Martinez and sophomore Lina Kirst each netted two goals apiece. The offensive outburst marks the third time in the last five years that the Bulldogs have scored 12 goals against Mount Marty. Concordia also accomplished the feat in 2016 and 2018.
Head Coach Thomas Goines is hoping his Bulldogs can continue the offensive production in the coming week. The Bulldogs finished with 17 goals as a team last season and already have 12 this season through two games.
Dordt (1-2-1) is coming off a 2-2 tie against the College of Saint Mary. The Defenders’ lone win of the young season was a 5-0 blanking of Mount Marty. In Dordt’s two losses this season, defensive play has been an obstacle as the Defenders allowed four goals in a 4-2 loss to Viterbo and five goals in a 5-0 loss to Briar Cliff. Dordt was picked fifth in the GPAC preseason poll garnering five more votes than the Bulldogs.
Northwestern (0-2-1) will have a one-week lay-off before coming into the match against the Bulldogs. The Red Raiders have struggled offensively this season as they have one goal through three games. Concordia currently holds a three-game winning streak over Northwestern. The Red Raiders were slated at seventh in the GPAC preseason poll, five votes behind the Bulldogs.
Following the game against Northwestern, Concordia will be back on the road Wednesday, Sept. 30, when it squares off against Midland. Game time is set for 5 p.m. CT.
Smith nets goal, Dawgs move to 2-0 in GPAC
September 23, 2020
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Through 180 minutes of GPAC action, the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team has yet to allow a goal. A second-straight clean sheet and a 62nd-minute goal from Cheyenne Smith propelled the Bulldogs to a 1-0 victory at Dordt on Wednesday (Sept. 23) evening. Four days earlier, Concordia pummeled Mount Marty, 12-0.
Head Coach Thomas Goines has his side out to a 2-0 mark in conference play (2-1 overall). For the most part, the Bulldogs again had their way in terms of possession.
“Obviously today was a night and day difference from our last conference match,” Goines said. “Dordt came out with a solid and organized defense. It took us about 45-50 minutes to figure out and be able to consistently break it down. Of course we changed lineups a little bit. I thought in the second half we grew into the game and were able to manage it and control it at that point.”
Concordia is beginning to build confidence while Goines learns more about the group of players he inherited. The Bulldogs had chances to make this one a bit more comfortable, considering their advantage of 21-8 in the shot count (11-4 in shots on goal). On the other hand, the Defenders had a great chance at grabbing the lead just before halftime, but a header attempt was saved on a quick reaction by goalkeeper Lindsey Carley (four saves on the night).
You can’t miss Smith on the field. She’s the one with the bright pink hair. Her third career goal resulted from her being in the right place at the right time. Off a rebound, Smith tapped the ball into a wide-open goal. Madeline Haugen was credited with the assist. Dordt did not produce much in the way of a scoring threat the rest of the way.
“It’s a process,” Goines said of the lineup and positional tinkering. “We’re three games in at this point. We’re getting there. The girls have taken it in stride and have gone through the process with me. I was just really proud of how they responded through a physical and tough first half and came out and really controlled play in the second half.”
Goines has veterans such as Carley, Haugen, Mikeila Martinez, Smith and Michaela Twito to rely upon. Twito continues to supply all-conference level play in the middle of the park. Twito plays in front of a rebuilt back line that includes freshman Annika Munch. So far things have worked out well from a defensive standpoint. The only goal the team has allowed this season was an overtime score by Bellevue in the season opener.
Dordt (1-3-1, 0-2-1 GPAC) had come off of a 2-2 draw at College of Saint Mary four days earlier. On the attack, the most active Defender was Alaina VanZalen (four shots, two on goal). Jaiden Beecher, Haugen and Martinez each fired four shots for Concordia.
The Bulldogs now look forward to returning home for the first time since the 2020 opener back on Sept. 9. Concordia will host Northwestern (0-2-1, 0-2 GPAC) at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday. Last year’s meeting in Seward resulted in a 1-0 Bulldog victory with the lone goal supplied by Beecher.
Bulldogs remain unscored upon in GPAC play, defeat Red Raiders
September 26, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – Through four outings, the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team still has yet to allow a single goal during regulation. The Bulldogs stifled the attack of visiting Northwestern on Saturday (Sept. 26) and got a goal apiece from Grace Soenksen and Kadyn Lane on the way to a 2-0 victory. Formerly a perennial thorn in the program’s side, Concordia has now won four-straight meetings with the Red Raiders.
In his first season leading the Bulldogs, Head Coach Thomas Goines has the squad out to a 3-0 start in conference play (3-1 overall). Concordia may have more offensive potential to unlock, but there’s satisfaction in holding Northwestern without a shot the entire second half.
“We’ve been very happy with (the team defensive performance),” Goines said. “When you’re anchored by an all-conference goalkeeper like Lindsey (Carley) it provides the entire team a little bit of confidence. They can play loose and free. We’ve had to put together a new back line and move some players around and they’ve responded really well. We’ve been challenged by some quality strikers and today was no different.”
In one of the only real offensive threats the Red Raiders mounted, Carley made a nifty save to keep the match scoreless roughly midway through the first half. To credit Northwestern (0-3-1, 0-3 GPAC), the Bulldogs were also snuffed out most of the day from an attacking perspective. A corner kick in the 55th minute finally opened up the game’s scoring. Mikeila Martinez volleyed the corner perfectly to Soenksen, who headed in the second goal of her collegiate career.
A Lincoln Lutheran product, Soenksen couldn’t have asked for a much better day, considering her role in the back line and how she capitalized on a rare attacking opportunity.
Said Soenksen, “When we first started in preseason that was the first thing we worked on. We’ve been pushing defense, defense, defense because we had a lot of trouble with that last year. We’ve been working on keeping everyone where they need to be and making sure we have people back when they need to be.”
Lane got on the board with the first goal of her career. Lane was set up by the hustle of Bethany Fuchs, who sprinted the left wing, controlled the ball and made the pass across the middle of the field. Lane’s ensuing shot went off the hands of the Red Raider keeper and into the goal.
Carley was called upon to make just the one save while picking up the clean sheet. This marked the second-straight year that Carley and the Bulldogs earned a home shutout of the Red Raiders. Abby Noonan had Northwestern’s only shot on goal on Saturday.
“This year has been one of those score-by-committee concepts,” Goines said of his team’s offensive approach. “It’s about ball movement and player movement that creates finishing space. They’ve done that really well … I was really happy with the patience they showed. We kept applying pressure and eventually were able to breakthrough.”
Eleven different Bulldogs have notched at least one goal this season. No single player has more than two this fall for a balanced team. Concordia has now outscored its foes by a combined total of 15-1 on the year.
Next on the schedule is Wednesday (Sept. 30)’s trip to Omaha for a 4 p.m. CT kickoff at College of Saint Mary (1-1-1, 1-1-1 GPAC). The matchup replaces the originally slated contest at Midland. The Bulldogs will wait until Nov. 4 to take on the Warriors.
Dakota Wesleyan to provide next test
September 28, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After winning both matches last week the Concordia University women’s soccer team continues its GPAC slate this weekend. The Bulldogs will play hosts to Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Saturday, Oct. 3 vs. Dakota Wesleyan (4-0, 3-0), 5:30 p.m.
Concordia was initially scheduled to play at Midland on Wednesday however, due to COVID-19 implications, the game has been postponed and will now be played on Nov. 4.
After decimating Mount Marty (12-0) and squeaking by Dordt (1-0), the Bulldogs continued their winning ways as they shutout Northwestern (2-0) on Saturday. Sophomore Grace Soenksen’s netted her second career goal off a Mikeila Martinez pass in the 54th minute of play to beak a nil-nil tie. Sophomore Kaydn Lane then cushioned the Bulldogs lead, scoring her first career goal in the 66th minute of play on a beautiful pass from Bethany Fuchs. The Bulldog defense was stout as usual. Sophomore Goalkeeper Lindsey Carley made one save in her only opportunity to collect her third clean sheet of the season.
Going into the season, head coach Thomas Goines stressed the importance of how a strong defense can lead to offensive opportunities and so far, his Bulldogs have proved that. This season Concordia has 38 shots on goal while limiting opponents to just 15.
Dakota Wesleyan (4-0) will provide the toughest test yet for the Bulldogs. The Tigers defeated Hastings (3-2) and College of Saint Mary (4-2) in their GPAC matches this season. The matchup has significant conference standings implications as Wesleyan sits a half-game back of Concordia atop the GPAC standings. The Tigers have exceeded preseason expectations so far as they were slated to finish 10th in the preseason coaches’ poll.
Following the game against Dakota Wesleyan, The Bulldogs will be back on the road Wednesday, Oct. 7, when they square off against Morningside College. Match time is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
Soenksen voted GPAC Defensive Player of the Week
September 29, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After playing an instrumental role in a pair of shutout victories, sophomore Grace Soenksen has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Tuesday (Sept. 29). This marks the first career GPAC weekly award for Soenksen and the first for the Concordia University Women’s Soccer program in 2020.
A product of Lincoln Lutheran High School, Soenksen is in her second season as a starting center back. In that role, Soenksen helped the Bulldogs record clean sheets in GPAC wins last week over Dordt, 1-0, and Northwestern, 2-0. Those two opponents were limited to a combined nine shots. Soenksen also received credit for the game-winning goal versus Northwestern. In that instance, Soenksen headed in a corner kick for the second goal of her career. She was named honorable mention All-GPAC in 2019.
Grace is far from the first Soenksen to wear Bulldog blue. Before her arrival at Concordia, she was preceded by older brothers Tim, Kevin and Gideon and by older sister Esther. Grace became the fifth Soenksen sibling to score a goal as a Bulldog when she found the back of the net last season.
Up next, Soenksen and the Bulldogs (3-1, 3-0 GPAC) will host Dakota Wesleyan (4-0, 2-0 GPAC) at 5:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.
Lone goal sinks Bulldogs
October 4, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia women’s soccer team dropped its first conference outing on a brisk autumn night at Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs three-game winning streak came to a halt as they were blanked 1-0 by Dakota Wesleyan.
Similar to the season opener, offensive production was the thorn in the Bulldogs side during the match. Despite putting seven shots on goal, the Bulldogs could not capitalize on their opportunities. Concordia outshot Dakota Wesleyan 20-6 overall and 7-1 on shots on goal. The Bulldogs also outnumbered the Tigers on corner kicks 9-3.
Overall, six different Bulldogs recorded a shot on goal as Mikeila Martinez lead the charge with two. Martinez came extremely close to tying the score in the 85th minute of play as her shot caromed off the left post.
“We were playing persistent all match,” head coach Thomas Goines said. “We were knocking on the door, looking for opportunities. It came down to not having enough quality or creativity. We managed most of the game well, but in the final stage of the game, we just were not creative enough to break down a very well-organized defense.”
The decisive goal came in the 49th minute of play when Dakota Wesleyan’s Alondra Partida rolled a shot past Concordia goalkeeper Lindsey Carley to give the Tigers the lead and ultimately the win. Partida’s goal was the first allowed by Concordia in GPAC play this season.
Dakota Wesleyan goalkeeper Alissa Betz was a major obstacle to the Bulldog scoring threats as she recorded an impressive seven saves throughout the match.
Despite the lone goal, the Concordia defense was stout as usual as it put the Bulldogs in a competitive position throughout the duration of the match. Goines hopes his team will continue their strong defensive play while also using tonight as a learning experience for playing the final third.
“Defensively, we handled two very strong strikers that made it tough for us,” Goines said. “With a new coach and players playing different positions, the first thing, you have to do as a team is reorganize defensively. The hardest part to learn is the final third. Our defense has allowed us to grow. After we allowed a goal, there were no hanging heads. They pressed the rest of the game and were very creative on getting the ball from one side to the other to create service chances.”
Next on the schedule is Wednesday (Oct. 7)’s trip to Sioux City, Iowa for a 5:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Morningside College (0-0-1, 0-0-1 GPAC).
Bulldogs looking to bounce back this week in GPAC play
October 5, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After dropping a 1-0 squeaker to Dakota Wesleyan this past weekend (Oct. 3), Concordia is looking to get back on track this week. The Bulldogs will travel to Morningside on Wednesday before returning home to host Jamestown on Saturday.
Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Morningside (0-0-1, 0-0-1), 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 10 vs. Jamestown (4-2, 2-2), 1 p.m.
Missed opportunities were the storyline during the Bulldogs 1-0 loss to Dakota Wesleyan. Concordia put seven shots on goal compared to the Tigers one. However, Dakota Wesleyan’s one shot on goal proved to be the difference as Wesleyan handed Concordia its first GPAC loss of the season. The goal was the first allowed by the Bulldogs in GPAC play this year.
Head Coach Thomas Goines hopes his Bulldogs can cash in on more offensive opportunities as the season progresses. Despite not scoring last game, the Bulldogs have improved their offensive play this season using their strong defense to create more offensive opportunities. Concordia currently is ranked second in the GPAC in goals per game (three), fourth in shots on goal per game (nine) and second in assists (10).
Morningside (0-0-1) has had its schedule hampered by cancellations and postponements due to COVID-19. It will be nearly a month from the Mustangs last game when they set foot on the pitch at Bulldog Stadium. During its lone match, Morningside tied Presentation in a scoreless contest back on Sept. 17, despite putting 11 shots on goal. The Mustangs were slated at eighth in the GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Jamestown (4-2) is currently 2-2 in GPAC play this season. The Jimmies dropped a 2-1 decision in their last outing to Northwestern. Jamestown is averaging 1.7 goals per game while averaging 14 shots on goal per contest. Sophomore Midfielder Kamryn Fiscus is the top scoring threat for the Jimmies as her 1.5 points per game rank sixth among all GPAC players. The Jimmies currently hold a two-game winning streak over the Bulldogs and have not lost to Concordia since joining the GPAC. Jamestown was picked second in the GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Following the game against Jamestown, the Bulldogs will be back on the road Wednesday, Oct. 14, when they travel to Omaha, Neb., to face the College of Saint Mary. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT.
Momentary lapses the difference in loss at Morningside
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The well has recently run dry from a goal scoring perspective for the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team. Playing for the second time this season, host Morningside rode a late first half penalty kick goal to a 3-0 victory on Wednesday (Oct. 7) evening. The score wasn’t quite indicative of the competitiveness on the field. The Bulldogs held a 10-9 edge in the shot count.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad was coming off a 1-0 loss to Dakota Wesleyan last week. Concordia has now slipped to 3-3 overall (3-2 GPAC).
“Morningside is a good team and well-organized,” Goines said. “It really was a competitive game. It boils down to them executing on restarts and taking the game from us in those moments. We did not execute our restarts and gave up some soft goals in those moments. We had an advantage for a good portion of the match, but we put ourselves behind the proverbial eight ball in those specific situations.”
Some tweaks have been made in attempt to jumpstart the attack. Primarily a center back throughout her collegiate career, junior Cheyenne Smith has been moved forward in the formation in recent action. Smith nearly knotted the score early in the second half on a prime goal scoring chance that was denied by Mustang keeper Alexandra Homan. Mikeila Martinez also had one of her strikes drill the crossbar. That’s just how the night went for the visitors.
It has been a complicated fall for Morningside (1-0-1, 1-0-1 GPAC), which had not played since a draw at Presentation on Sept. 17. The Mustangs appeared ready for the Bulldogs. The penalty kick in the 44th minute really was a back breaker. Logan Abernathy cashed in the PK for Morningside and changed the way Concordia approached the remainder of the game.
“We created three or four legitimate goal scoring chances,” Goines said. “Their keeper pulled off an amazing save on a point-blank shot. We did some things we wanted to do in the final third, just couldn’t find the back of the net. It wasn’t a poor performance across the board. It was unfortunate we put ourselves in a hole late in the first half. Then we had to chase the game.”
Twenty-two Bulldogs wound up seeing action. Smith was credited with taking half of the team’s shots (five total, including two on goal). Jaiden Beecher also put a pair of shots on frame. In goal, Lindsey Carley made two saves. Mustangs Samantha O’Roy and Paytn Harmon eluded Carley’s reach with a second-half goal apiece.
The Bulldogs will be back at home on Saturday to host Jamestown (4-2, 2-2 GPAC) for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. The Jimmies tied for second place in the 2019 GPAC regular season and ended Concordia’s season in the conference tournament quarterfinals with a 4-0 result in North Dakota. Jamestown had its scheduled Wednesday game versus Presentation postponed.
Martinez wills Bulldogs to victory
Octoer 10, 2020
Seward, Neb. – Coming off back to back losses, the Concordia Women’s Soccer team looked to turn things around on Saturday at Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs did just that as junior Mikeila Martinez led a furious comeback to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 overtime victory.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad has now improved to 4-3 overall and 4-2 in GPAC play. Goines credits the Bulldogs victory due to the team’s persistence in playing their style and pace.
“I think you can lay this win on the heavy word belief,” Goines said. “That was our theme for the match. We believe what we do and that our playing style wins games. It had been a rough string of matches recently as we were not finding the results we wanted. I told the girls to stay with their style and don’t try to play other teams’ styles because that is not our match.”
Jamestown got on the board first in the contest with a goal from Kirstyn Aldridge in the 15th minute of play. Jamestown became very close to taking a 2-0 lead early in the second half; however, the Bulldogs made a great defensive play, deflecting the Jimmies shot out of bounds. Concordia had a goal erased in the 51st minute of play when officials ruled that senior Michaela Twito was offside.
Things were looking bleak for the Bulldogs as they were trailing 1-0 with just 10 minutes left in the match. However, the Bulldogs and Martinez would not be denied. Concordia tied things up when Martinez snuck one past the Jimmies keeper in the 85th minute with the assist coming from Sydney Ross. The Bulldogs held the Jamestown the rest of regulation to force overtime. Just four minutes into overtime, Martinez found the back of the net off a pass from sophomore Grace Soenksen, making the Bulldogs walk-off winners.
Martinez doubled her season goal total as she came into the match with two goals on the season. Martinez breakout performance could be attributed to her taking a new role in the Bulldogs game plan, which was designed to help in the final third of the match.
“We challenged her considerably today because we don’t feel like we were doing well enough in the final third,” Goines said. “She is a talented player that obviously has a good shot but also has the tendency to find a pass. We pushed her a little higher up and told her we needed her more involved on the offensive side of the game. It might have been a little out of her comfort zone, but you can’t say much more because she played a great game.”
Overall, the Bulldogs tied the Jimmies 8-8 in shots while Jamestown outnumbered Concordia on shots on goal by the slight margin of 4-3. Senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley recorded three saves and allowed one goal in 91 minutes and 38 seconds of game time.
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Wednesday to visit the College of Saint Mary (1-2-1, 1-2-1 GPAC) for a 3 p.m. CT kickoff. The Flames have not been in action as of late due to COVID-19 affecting their schedule.
Bulldogs look to build off win
October 12, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After a thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Jamestown, the Concordia Women’s Soccer team continues their GPAC slate this week. Head coach Thomas Goines’ squad will travel to the College of Saint Mary on Wednesday before returning home to host Hastings on Saturday.
Wednesday, Oct. 14 at College of Saint Mary (1-2-1, 1-2-1), 3 p.m.
- Live Stream
Saturday, Oct. 17 vs. Hastings (4-1, 2-1), 1 p.m.
- Live Stream
Junior midfielder Mikeila Martinez sparked the Bulldogs during their victory on Saturday. With just five minutes left in regulation, Martinez tied things up when she found the back of the net off a pass from Sydney Ross. Martinez’s golden goal came just three minutes into overtime when she took a pass from Grace Soenksen and rocketed past the Jamestown keeper to give the Bulldogs the win. Senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley was a major factor in the win as well recording three saves in 91 minutes of play.
Head Coach Thomas Goines had stressed the importance of play during the final third of each match this season. The Bulldogs did just that on Saturday and will continue to make it an essential aspect of their game plan in the coming matches.
The Concordia-College of Saint Mary series has been trending in the Bulldogs favor. Concordia has won four of the last six meetings against the Flames. The Flames last goal against the Bulldogs came back in 2015. Concordia and the College of Saint Mary played to a scoreless tie in 2019.
The Flames are coming off two straight losses and an idle stretch in the schedule due to COVID-19. The College of Saint Mary is 1-2-1 overall this year with a win over Northwestern (2-0) and losses to Briar Cliff (0-5) and Dakota Wesleyan (2-4). The Flames were slated at ninth in the GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Hastings has been off to a strong start this season as the Broncos are 4-1 overall and 2-1 in GPAC play. In league play, the Broncos have defeated both Jamestown (2-1) and Presentation (3-1). Hastings lone loss of the year happened back on Sept. 19 when they dropped a 2-3 decision to Dakota Wesleyan. The Broncos were picked to finish third in the GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Following the game against Hastings, Concordia will continue their homestand on Wednesday, Oct. 21, when Briar Cliff travels to Bulldog Stadium. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
Bulldogs look to build off win
October 12, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After a thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Jamestown, the Concordia Women’s Soccer team continues their GPAC slate this week. Head coach Thomas Goines’ squad will travel to the College of Saint Mary on Wednesday before returning home to host Hastings on Saturday.
Wednesday, Oct. 14 at College of Saint Mary (1-2-1, 1-2-1), 3 p.m.
- Live Stream
Saturday, Oct. 17 vs. Hastings (4-1, 2-1), 1 p.m.
- Live Stream
Junior midfielder Mikeila Martinez sparked the Bulldogs during their victory on Saturday. With just five minutes left in regulation, Martinez tied things up when she found the back of the net off a pass from Sydney Ross. Martinez’s golden goal came just three minutes into overtime when she took a pass from Grace Soenksen and rocketed past the Jamestown keeper to give the Bulldogs the win. Senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley was a major factor in the win as well recording three saves in 91 minutes of play.
Head Coach Thomas Goines had stressed the importance of play during the final third of each match this season. The Bulldogs did just that on Saturday and will continue to make it an essential aspect of their game plan in the coming matches.
The Concordia-College of Saint Mary series has been trending in the Bulldogs favor. Concordia has won four of the last six meetings against the Flames. The Flames last goal against the Bulldogs came back in 2015. Concordia and the College of Saint Mary played to a scoreless tie in 2019.
The Flames are coming off two straight losses and an idle stretch in the schedule due to COVID-19. The College of Saint Mary is 1-2-1 overall this year with a win over Northwestern (2-0) and losses to Briar Cliff (0-5) and Dakota Wesleyan (2-4). The Flames were slated at ninth in the GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Hastings has been off to a strong start this season as the Broncos are 4-1 overall and 2-1 in GPAC play. In league play, the Broncos have defeated both Jamestown (2-1) and Presentation (3-1). Hastings lone loss of the year happened back on Sept. 19 when they dropped a 2-3 decision to Dakota Wesleyan. The Broncos were picked to finish third in the GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Following the game against Hastings, Concordia will continue their homestand on Wednesday, Oct. 21, when Briar Cliff travels to Bulldog Stadium. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
Smith golden goal lifts Bulldogs in second-straight OT win
October 14, 2020
OMAHA, Neb. – For the second game in a row, the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team needed just over 90 minutes in order to secure a win. Junior Cheyenne Smith emerged from a scrum and produced the golden goal, setting off another victory celebration. This particular one occurred on Wednesday (Oct. 14) afternoon at Heritage Park in Omaha, Neb., home to the College of Saint Mary. The Bulldogs topped the Flames, 1-0, in overtime.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad also defeated Jamestown in overtime four days earlier. Concordia improved to 5-3 overall and to 5-2 in conference play.
“I thought we were the most creative we’ve been all year as far as looking for combinations, especially in the second half,” Goines said. “We started growing into the game a bit and breaking down their back line. We were persistent and stayed with it across the board. It was a more confident performance and we showed we could take control of the game.”
The effectiveness of the Bulldogs in the final third remains a work-in-progress, but they are finding ways to win in the GPAC. The team’s ninth shot on goal finally found the back of the net on Wednesday. Madeline Haugen serviced the corner kick into the box. Smith then proceeded to slot the ball across the goal line immediately following a touch played by Mikeila Martinez.
It was a good way to put behind the frustrations on the attack over the first 93 minutes of action. Concordia outshot College of Saint Mary, 18-9, and delivered nine shots on frame. Sophomore Jaiden Beecher was particularly active having accumulated four shots, including three on goal. On the other end, goalkeeper Lindsey Carley made two saves in the process of notching the 20th shutout of her career.
Goines gave credit to College of Saint Mary (1-3-1, 1-3-1 GPAC) keeper Gabby Felker for her role in a scoreless first 90-plus minutes. Felker made eight saves and only in a scramble situation were the Bulldogs able to unearth the game winner. Wind also played a factor. Concordia had a more favorable wind in its favor in the second half.
Said Goines, “We played a good game overall. There was about a 20 mile-per-hour wind that was going goal to goal. It made everything a little more challenging when the wind was in your face. College of Saint Mary pressed us pretty well with the wind at their back. We had three or four chances to put one away in the first half, but it was a challenge. We withstood that and we were able to take control in the second half.”
Smith, who hails from Alpine, Calif., also scored the lone goal in the 1-0 win at Dordt on Sept. 23. Five of the first eight Bulldog games have been decided by a one-goal margin and three have gone to overtime. As for Carley, only Chrissy Lind (28 career shutouts) ranks above her on the program’s all-time shutouts list.
The Bulldogs will celebrate senior day on Saturday when rival Hastings (5-1, 3-1 GPAC) makes its way to town. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium. The two programs went head-to-head in the 2014, 2017 and 2018 GPAC tournament championship games. In terms of accolades, Tori Cera and Michaela Twito are standouts among the seniors, who have helped Concordia to a combined 39 wins since the start of the 2017 season.
Cera returns, Ross scores winner on victorious senior day
October 17, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – This may have been the most thoroughly the Concordia University Women’s Soccer program has ever dominated possession against the perennially powerful Hastings program. At last, the Bulldogs got the only goal they needed via Sydney Ross in the 83rd minute while extending their run of dramatic victories. Concordia defeated Hastings, 1-0, in a renewal of an intense rivalry on Saturday (Oct. 17).
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad has now won three-straight GPAC outings, all by one-goal margins. The Bulldogs have improved to 6-3 overall and to 6-2 in league play.
“The girls have kind of had this one circled on the calendar,” Goines said. “This was a game of importance having it be senior day but also a rivalry match on top of that. I think it added a whole level of new intensity in a game like that. It was a challenging match from beginning to end.”
Prior to kickoff, Concordia celebrated its nine seniors. That group includes two-time first team All-GPAC performer Tori Cera, who had missed the season’s first eight games. She returned to the starting lineup on Saturday and provided a noticeable jolt of energy to a team that already appeared to be beginning to hit its stride. Impressively, the Bulldogs held the Broncos to a single shot the entire 90 minutes.
An important sequence occurred late in the first half when a collision outside the 18-yard box resulted in the Hastings starting keeper being sent off. The Broncos (5-2, 3-2 GPAC) then proceeded down a player for the last 53 minutes. Other than failing to punch in a goal earlier, Concordia took advantage. The Bulldogs put eight shots on frame.
The one that counted the most was delivered by Ross, whose hustle made the difference. After Mikeila Martinez’s strike hit the crossbar, Ross chased down the rebound and calmly beat the keeper by slotting the ball to her left. Neither team managed a shot the rest of the way and the Bulldogs celebrated their first win over Hastings since the 2017 regular season.
Seniors like Michaela Twito haven’t forgotten some of the past battles with the Broncos that resulted in agonizing defeats. Said Twito, “I’m proud of our team and proud of our hard work. Freshman to senior, it was just unreal … we got Tori Cera back, literally the best player in the GPAC. I feel like sky’s the limit right now.”
Cera and fellow senior Chelsea Bright both started the game while making their first appearances of 2020. On this particular day, a lot of contributions were made up and down the roster. Goalkeeper Lindsey Carley really didn’t face much of a threat while picking up the 21st shutout of her career.
“Our theme through the last few weeks is trying to own a style of play that is selfish with the ball,” Goines said. “We want to have it and if we have it, they can’t score. It’s a mentality. Creating opportunities off of that is starting to develop. I was very happy with their growth. They’ve continued to find ways to dominate the ball in different parts of games.”
Both Concordia and Hastings have experienced turnover in terms of their head coaches. Jade Ovendale is in her first season leading the Broncos, whose only other loss was by a 3-2 decision at Dakota Wesleyan. Concordia and Hastings met in the GPAC tournament title games of 2014, 2017 and 2018.
The Bulldogs face another stiff test on Wednesday when they will host Briar Cliff (5-0-1, 5-0 GPAC) at 5:30 p.m. CT. The Chargers have not played since a 5-0 win at Presentation on Oct. 10.
Bulldogs looking to stretch win streak to four
October 19, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After an exciting 1-0 victory over Hastings on Senior Day, The Concordia Women’s Soccer team continues GPAC play this week. The Bulldogs will host Briar Cliff on Wednesday before traveling to Presentation on Saturday.
Wednesday, Oct. 21 vs. Briar Cliff (5-0-1, 5-0), 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24 at Presentation (0-6-2, 0-4-2), 1 p.m.
The Bulldogs trademark defense was the factor the last time out during Saturday’s 1-0 win over Hastings. Concordia’s suffocating defense did not allow a single shot on goal during the matchup as senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley picked up her 21st career clean sheet. The Bulldogs outshot the Broncos 12-1 while putting eight shots on goal. The Broncos lone shot came in the 12th minute of play and sailed wide right. Despite Concordia consistently shooting the ball towards the net, the Hastings goalkeeping duo of Sarah Carpenter and Lauren Gahn held up, recording a combined seven saves. The Bulldogs finally broke through in the 82nd minute when Freshman Sydney Ross rebounded Mikeila Martinez’s shot and put it past Gahn to give the Bulldogs the win. The Bulldogs win over Hastings was the first since the 2017 regular season.
Concordia is on a three-game winning streak while having won all three contests by one goal, including two in overtime. The Bulldogs currently sit in second place in the GPAC standings, two games behind first-place Briar Cliff.
Concordia will welcome Briar Cliff to town on Wednesday for a battle of the GPAC heavyweights. The Bulldogs beat the Chargers in a 2-1 double-overtime thriller in 2019.
Briar Cliff (5-0-1) is on a five-game winning streak and has won all five games in dominating fashion. The Chargers have been dominant both offensively and defensively. In the last five matchups, Briar Cliff has outscored opponents 21-1. The Chargers are averaging an impressive 4.33 goals per game while only allowing 0.17 goals per game. Senior Flor Suarez is Briar Cliff’s top scoring threat. Her average of 3.33 goals per game leads all GPAC players. Briar Cliff was slated at fourth in the 2020 GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
The Concordia-Presentation series has been very favorable to Concordia in its short history. The Bulldogs have beaten the Saints in their only two matchups by a combined score of 9-0.
Presentation (0-6-2) has struggled mightily on the offensive end this season. The Saints rank fifth in the GPAC in goals as they have just five on the season. Presentation owns a three-game losing streak in which they have been outscored by a combined margin of 10-1. The Saints were picked last in the 2020 GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll garnering just 22 points.
Following the game at Presentation, the Bulldogs return home for their final home game of the season on Oct. 28., as they host rival Doane. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
Downing named GPAC Defensive Player of the Week
October 20, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Women’s Soccer team completely stifled last week’s opponents on the attack. For her role in two victories, sophomore Allee Downing has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports GPAC Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Tuesday (Oct. 20). This marks the first career GPAC award earned by Downing. Teammate Grace Soenksen garnered the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week honor on Sept. 29.
Downing has starred at left back for the Bulldogs, who entered this week on a three-game win streak. A native of Sioux City, Iowa (Sioux City East HS), Downing played a key role for a back line that last week surrendered just one combined shot on goal in 1-0 victories over both College of Saint Mary and Hastings. As Head Coach Thomas Goines noted, Downing (28 career games played) did not allow an opponent to beat her via dribble or service during last week’s action. The strong team defensive effort aided in goalkeeper Lindsey Carley picking up the 20th and 21st shutouts of her career.
Concordia (6-3, 6-2 GPAC) will attempt to keep the win streak intact when it hosts Briar Cliff (5-0-1, 5-0 GPAC) at 5:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The Bulldogs will also be at Presentation (0-6-2, 0-4-2 GPAC) on Saturday.
Wednesday (10/21) Women's Soccer home game postponed
SEWARD, Neb. – The women’s soccer programs of Concordia University and Briar Cliff have announced the postponement of their scheduled meeting in Seward on Wednesday, Oct. 21. They have rescheduled the matchup for Saturday, Nov. 14. Kickoff time is set for 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium on that date.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad remains slated to play at Presentation in Aberdeen, S.D., at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday. Four games are left on the GPAC regular-season schedule for the Bulldogs (6-3, 6-2 GPAC). The GPAC tournament has been postponed until the spring semester of 2021 with dates to be announced.
For the latest updates, follow@cunebulldogs on Twitter. The updated women’s soccer schedule can be viewed HERE.
Bulldogs back in action after idle week
October 26, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After a frustrating week that saw both matches get postponed, the Concordia Women’s Soccer team continues their GPAC slate this week. The Bulldogs only have one match this week as they host Doane on Wednesday.
Wednesday, Oct. 28 vs. Doane (0-7-3, 0-5-3), 5:30 p.m.
Last week’s home match against Briar Cliff was postponed due to the Chargers dealing with COVID-19 related issues. The match against Briar Cliff will now be the season finale as it has been rescheduled for Nov. 14, at 1 p.m. Saturday’s match at Presentation was postponed due to mother nature as forecasts were calling for nearly ten inches of snow. The game will now take place on Nov. 8 at noon.
Concordia is on a three-game winning streak while winning all three contests by one goal, including two in overtime. The Bulldogs currently sit in first place in the GPAC standings. Briar Cliff is in second place with a 5-0 GPAC record however Concordia leads them due to playing more games.
Concordia will welcome Doane to town on Wednesday as they continue their rivalry series. The Bulldogs hold a seven-game winning streak over the Tigers dating back to 2013.
Doane (0-7-3) has struggled mightily on offense this season as the Tigers have only scored three goals in ten games so far. Doane is averaging just 0.3 goals per game this season, which ranks dead last in the GPAC. The Tigers defense is allowing three goals per game. However, goalkeeper Danielle Dubovy is averaging an impressive nine saves per game, which currently ranks fifth in the NAIA. Doane is coming off of a 1-1 tie against Dordt this past weekend. The Tigers were slated at 11th in the 2020 GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Following the game against Doane, the Bulldogs will travel to Fremont, Neb., on Nov. 4., as they square off against Midland. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. CT.
Offensive explosion lifts Concordia to victory
October 28, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia Women’s Soccer team had itself a goal party at Bulldog Stadium. This took place on Wednesday (Oct. 28) evening at Bulldog Stadium, as the Bulldogs decimated Doane, 7-0.
The party got started in the 12th minute with a little help from the visitors as an own goal by Doane gave Concordia a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Ellie Eason recorded her first career goal off an assist from Bethany Fuchs in the 16th minute to push the Bulldogs lead to 2-0. Sophomore Jaiden Beecher then joined the party as her goal in the 33rd minute increased the lead to 3-0. Two goals by junior Madeline Haugen gave Concordia a 5-0 advantage. Aliyah Aldama and Jennika Chapman added a pair of goals in the final third to make it 7-0.
Overall, Concordia had 32 shots during the match while putting 19 shots on goal. The Bulldog defense stifled the Tigers as Doane had just four shots overall and three shots on goal. Doane goalkeeper Hannah Drolshagen who entered the match ranked fifth in the nation in saves, recorded ten saves in 60 minutes of play. The Concordia goalkeeping duo of Lindsey Carley and Kassidy Johnson helped preserved the clean sheet. Carley had two saves during the match, while Johnson recorded one during her first action this season.
Head Coach Thomas Goines was satisfied with the performance and hopes it can be a building block for the Bulldog offense during the season's final stretch.
“We have had strong performances in offensive possession and attack of the middle thirds. We just haven’t been able to put the final pieces together. When we scored relatively early in the match, it took some of the stress off the girls. We have to push for that result, and it is a big relief I feel like to have this result. The girls realized our offense is all about putting us in opportunities to finish. Now we have to stop trying so hard to do it and go do it naturally.”
The seven goals were the second-most scored by the Bulldogs in a match this season and most since their 12-0 victory at Mount Marty back on Sept. 19. A season-high 29 Bulldogs appeared in the match, which is eight more than their previous high, which was also during the Sept. 19th match at Mount Marty.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad extended their winning streak to four and now stand at 7-3 overall and 7-2 in GPAC play. The last three matches of the season have a significant impact on where Concordia will finish in the GPAC standings.
Concordia is back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 4, as they travel to Midland (2-3-2, 2-3-2 GPAC). The Bulldogs will look to avenge last year’s 2-0 loss to the Warriors. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.
Concordia ready for road tests
November 2, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After a dominant 7-0 shutout win over rival Doane, the Concordia Women’s Soccer team continues their GPAC slate with a road trip this week. Head coach Thomas Goines’ squad will look to extend its four-game winning streak as they travel to Midland on Wednesday before heading to Presentation on Sunday.
Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Midland University (3-3-2, 3-3-2), 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 8 at. Presentation College (0-9-2, 0-7-2), 12 p.m.
Junior midfielder Madeline Haugen led the Bulldogs offensively in last week’s 7-0 win over Doane. Haugen found the back of the net in the 58th and 61st minutes for her first and second goals of the season. Ellie Eason, Jaiden Beecher, Aliyah Aldama and Jennika Chapman also scored goals during the route. Goalkeepers Lindsey Carley and Kassidy Johnson helped preserve the clean sheet for Concordia while combining for three saves. Overall, Concordia had 32 shots during the match while putting 19 shots on goal. The Bulldogs limited the Tigers to just four shots overall and three shots on goal. The win marks the eighth consecutive time Concordia has defeated Doane.
Coming down to the homestretch of the regular-season Concordia finds itself atop the GPAC standings with a 7-2 record in GPAC play. Concordia currently leads second-place Dakota Wesleyan (7-4) and third-place Briar Cliff (6-0-1). While Briar Cliff has no conference losses, they sit behind Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan due to playing fewer games. The Bulldogs regular-season finale on Nov. 14 against Briar Cliff could potentially decide the GPAC regular-season championship.
However, the Bulldogs must take care of business this week before looking ahead to Briar Cliff.
The Concordia-Midland series has been competitive in the last decade; however, the Bulldogs hold a 6-3-1 advantage. Concordia will be looking to avenge last year's 2-0 loss to the Warriors, which came on Oct. 9, 2019.
Midland (3-3-2) has dealt with COVID-19 issues all year as four consecutive matches got canceled earlier in the season. However, the Warriors were able to put those issues behind them and get back on the pitch last month. Midland is coming off a 2-1 overtime win over Mount Marty. The Midland defense has been stout all season as the Warriors have allowed just six goals in eight games. Their 0.75 goals allowed per game rank fourth in the GPAC, right behind Concordia’s 0.60. Offensively the Warriors have struggled mightily to find the back of the net with just six goals all season. Midland was the preseason favorite in the 2020 GPAC Coaches’ Poll, garnering ten first-place votes.
Presentation (0-9-2) has yet to find the W column this year. The Saints were soundly defeated in their last match, 5-0 by the College of Saint Mary. Their 0.55 goals per game rank 12th in the conference, while their 2.91 goals allowed per game rank 11th. Freshman midfielder Delainey Williams is the Saints most explosive offensive threat as she leads the team with three goals this season. Presentation was picked last in the 2020 GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Following this week’s matches, Concordia will close out the regular season when Briar Cliff comes to town on Nov. 14. Game time is set for 1 p.m. CT.
2-0 lead slips away in draw at Midland
November 4, 2020
FREMONT, Neb. – It appeared the win streak would live on after the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team took a 2-0 lead to the halftime break on Wednesday (Nov. 4) evening at Midland. However, the Warriors forced extra time thanks to an 89th minute goal, ultimately resulting in the game ending in a 2-2 draw in Fremont, Neb. Defending GPAC champion Midland has played overtime contests in four of its past five outings.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad entered the night with a four-game win streak. With Briar Cliff (7-0-1 GPAC) undefeated inside the conference, the Bulldogs (7-3-1, 7-2-1 GPAC) did not have much room for error in regards to the GPAC regular-season title race.
“We started off strong and played a really complete first half,” Goines said. “We found a way to grow into the game and came into the second half feeling confident. You have to give credit to Midland. They ramped up their pressure and our girls didn’t respond well. You could feel some of that confidence slip away. We lost some control in the second half. Midland was ready to roll.”
Concordia put both of its goals on the board in a short span occurring in the latter stages of the first half. Junior Mikeila Martinez broke a 0-0 deadlock with her goal in the 31st minute (assisted by Sydney Ross on a cross). Moments later, Martinez converted a penalty kick chance to provide a two-goal advantage. It marked the second time this season that the Fairfield, Calif., native has knocked in two goals in a single game.
Outside of those two goals, the Bulldogs fired only five shots. Midland (3-3-3, 3-3-3 GPAC) outshot Concordia, 12-8, for the night. On the lone shot of overtime, Bulldog keeper Lindsey Carley made one of her six saves. On the other end of the field, reigning GPAC Defensive Player of the Year Rachel Thigpen collected three saves.
Concordia was disappointed not to come away with the win after conceding a goal with just 1:02 left in regulation. Warrior goals came courtesy of Dana Gomez and Brittany Llanes. The way Midland dominated for a good part of the second half, the Bulldogs had been playing with fire. Concordia is now 6-2-2 over the last 10 series meetings with Midland. The Warriors remain a solid team despite graduating the prolific attacking duo of PT Perez and Nayeli Rodriguez.
“It was a challenging game. We could not find a lot of consistency,” Goines said. “Midland was able to take us out of rhythm. Our back line managed to absorb some of their pressure. We’ve had an injury here and there, but we have to make up for it. We’re taking it one step at a time.”
The Bulldogs are slated to play a makeup game at Presentation (0-9-2, 0-7-2 GPAC) at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday. The Saints have earned conference draws with Morningside and Doane.
Beecher notches first multi-goal game as unbeaten streak continues
November 8, 2020
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Consistent wind gusts of 20 miles per hour and greater impacted the action that took place Sunday (Nov. 8) afternoon in Aberdeen, S.D. The Concordia University Women’s Soccer team did not seem to mind while scoring four times in the first half on the way to a 5-0 victory over Presentation College in a makeup contest. Sophomore Jaiden Beecher recorded the first multi-goal game of her career in the win.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad ran its unbeaten streak to six (5-0-1 during that stretch) and has not lost since Oct. 7. The Bulldogs (8-3-1, 8-2-1 GPAC) remain in the thick of things near the top of the GPAC standings.
“We played into a headwind in the first half and it was a challenge,” Goines said. “The girls actually played some of their best soccer as far as connecting passes and playing them on the ground because a ball in the air just wasn’t going to be useful. Putting four away in the first half made everything more comfortable in the second half. We really were able to apply the pressure to them most of the game.”
Aberdeen is situated more than a six-hour drive north of Seward. For the first time this season, Concordia played on a grass field. An Omaha native, Beecher adjusted nicely and provided a goal apiece in the eighth and 32nd minutes (her third and fourth goals of the season). Beecher also put two other shots on frame as part of an aggressive attacking approach.
Sophomore Allee Downing (14’) and junior Cheyenne Smith (15’) also found the back of the net as part of the first-half outbreak. An assist apiece was credited to Madeline Haugen, Aliyah Aldama, Grace Soenksen and Smith. An unsuccessful clearance attempt in the 54th minute resulted in the final goal of the contest.
The lightning fast Beecher figures to put more goals away as she continues to get comfortable as a striker. Said Goines, “I think Jaiden’s been looking for this game as far as gaining confidence in her role. She’s done really well at creating shots and opportunities all season and putting goals away builds up a striker’s confidence.”
The physicality picked up in the second half when the Saints (0-11-2, 0-9-2 GPAC) were issued three yellow cards. Presentation was unable to find the back of the net on its senior day. The four shots it put on goal were saved by Concordia goalkeeper Lindsey Carley (264 career saves). Carley played the first 60 minutes before Kalie Ward tended goal for the final 30 minutes.
Carley, Downing, Mikeila Martinez, Michaela Twito and Smith have each started all 12 games this season. They know something about seeing out a clean sheet, which the Bulldogs did for the seventh time in 2020.
“I was very happy with our second half,” Goines said. “We could have certainly played better as a group, but as the game got a lot more physical, the girls didn’t respond or retaliate. They played strong and stayed focused on the result and not the other stuff.”
Concordia is scheduled to finish the regular season next Saturday (Nov. 14) against GPAC leader Briar Cliff (8-0-2, 8-0-1 GPAC). Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium. The Chargers will have a challenging final stretch including games at Concordia and Hastings and a home matchup with Morningside.
GPAC leaders Concordia and Briar Cliff square off Saturday
November 12, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University women’s soccer team will be taking on another GPAC heavyweight as they host Briar Cliff this Saturday (Nov. 14). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.
Saturday, Nov. 14 vs. Briar Cliff (8-0-2, 8-0-1), 1 p.m.
Head Coach Thomas Goines' squad was dominant during its last outing back on Nov. 8, which resulted in a 5-0 victory over Presentation. Sophomore Jaiden Beecher was the star of the show for Concordia as she recorded the first multi-goal game of her career. Beecher, a native of Omaha., Neb., provided a goal apiece in the eighth and 32nd minutes. Sophomore Allee Downing (14’) and junior Cheyenne Smith (15’) also provided goals during the first half outbreak. The Bulldogs got a little help from the Saints as their own goal in the 54th minute of play resulted in the game's final goal. Concordia goalkeepers Lindsey Carley and Kalie Ward combined for the clean sheet. The Bulldogs outshot the Saints 14-6 overall and 11 to 4 on shots on goal.
The win helped Concordia maintain its position atop the GPAC standings. There is currently a three-way tie for first as Concordia, Morningside and Briar Cliff are deadlocked at 25 points apiece. Concordia, however, has played one more game than Morningside and two more games than Briar Cliff. A big performance on Saturday and a little luck will be needed for the Bulldogs to finish as GPAC champions. The worst-case scenario for Concordia would be a fourth-place finish.
The Concordia-Briar Cliff series has consisted of many tightly contested contests as of late. Concordia was the victor a year ago when the Bulldogs edged out the Chargers 2-1 in double overtime. Briar Cliff defeated Concordia in 2018 by a score of 3-2.
Briar Cliff (8-0-2) has been dominant all season with an average margin of victory of 3.7 goals per contest. The Chargers have scored 39 goals this season while allowing just two. Both rank first in the GPAC. All eight of Briar Cliff’s wins have been shutouts by large margins. The only blemishes in the Chargers record were 0-0 ties against Northwestern and Midland. Senior Flor Suarez leads the offensive attack as her 14 goals lead all GPAC players and rank fourth nationally. Briar Cliff was picked fourth in the 2020 GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
The match against Briar Cliff wraps up the fall slate for Concordia. The Bulldogs will be back on the field in the spring as they compete in the GPAC postseason tournament. The tournament was postponed to the spring due to COVID 19 complications. The match dates have yet to be determined.
Suffocating defense key in victory
November 14, 2020
Seward, Neb. – The Concordia University Women’s Soccer team finished the regular season in style on Saturday (Nov. 14). A great defensive effort and a late goal by junior midfielder Mikeila Martinez gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 victory over Briar Cliff.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad ran its unbeaten streak to seven (6-0-1 during that stretch) and has not lost since Oct. 7. The Bulldogs (9-3-1, 9-2-1 GPAC) remain in the thick of things near the top of the GPAC standings. The Bulldogs nine wins during GPAC tied the program best, which was set back in 2017.
“It has been a good run out for us,” Goines said. “We knew this was going to be a challenge and it’s a matter of winning games. Against the top of your conference it is about finding results. It was one heck of a game, back and forth and both teams had opportunities to put the game away.”
The critical moment in the victory came in the 81st minute when the Bulldogs were able to draw a foul in the box, setting up a penalty kick. Martinez then converted on her penalty kick, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead and ultimately the win. The goal was Martinez’s seventh of the year.
The Concordia defense stifled the Chargers high scoring offense all day as Briar Cliff finished with just nine shots overall and two shots on goal. The Bulldogs did a great job keeping Briar Cliff forward Flor Suarez in check. Suarez entered the match with 14 goals which rank first among all GPAC players and fifth nationally. The Bulldogs executed their assignment flawlessly as Suarez finished the match without a single shot. Senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley was perfect in two opportunities on her way to her eighth clean sheet of the season. Overall, the Bulldogs outmatched Briar Cliff 10-9 in shots overall and 6-2 in shots on goal.
“Briar Cliff is one of the best defensive teams in the conference,” Goines added. “They make your entire team defend. They have the best striker in the conference, so we had to focus on denying her as well. They are not a one-trick show. It took all four of our backs to keep them at bay to look for our chances and opportunities as well.”
The Bulldog senior class is on pace to finish their career as one of the winningest classes in Concordia history with a career record of 43-19-12.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ .731 regular-season winning percentage ranks first all-time among first-year coaches in Concordia women’s soccer history. Goines had orchestrated an impressive turnaround from the Bulldogs 6-11-2 mark a year ago.
The Bulldogs are waiting to see how the rest of the season plays out before they know their fate in the GPAC postseason tournament. The Bulldogs are currently tied in first place with Morningside at 28 points apiece. Briar Cliff is right behind in third with 25 points. Concordia has played one more game than Morningside and two more games than Briar Cliff. Therefore, the GPAC title hunt will not be over until Morningside and Briar Cliff finish their regular season matches.
Today’s match concludes the fall portion of the schedule for Concordia. The Bulldogs will be back on the field in the spring of 2021 as they compete in the GPAC postseason tournament. The tournament was postponed to the spring due to COVID 19 complications. The dates for the GPAC tournament have yet to be determined.
Carley honored by GPAC after shutout of Briar Cliff
November 17, 2020
SEWARD, Neb. – After adding another shutout to her career total, senior Lindsey Carley has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Tuesday (Nov. 17). Carley is the third different Bulldog to collect this award in 2020, joining sophomores Grace Soenksen (Sept. 29) and Allee Downing (Oct. 20). Carley picked up three GPAC Player of the Week awards in 2017, in addition to an NAIA National Player of the Week honor.
Strong collective defensive play as a team has helped take pressure off of Carley this fall, but the native of Urbandale, Iowa, made two saves in last week’s 1-0 victory over previously unbeaten Briar Cliff. The clean sheet marked the sixth of the season for Carley, who has started all 13 games and has logged all but 53 minutes in goal in 2020. On the season, Carley has made 34 saves, owns an .810 save percentage and ranks 25th nationally in goals against average (.630).
Named the 2017 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year, Carley will go down as one of the top keepers in the history of the program. On the program’s all-time goalkeeper record book, Carley ranks No. 1 in goals against average (0.91), second in games played (67), second in minutes played (6,113), second in shutouts (22), second in save percentage (.811) and third in saves (266).
Carley and the Bulldogs (9-3-1, 9-2-1 GPAC) have finished conference regular-season play and will wait until the spring semester to resume action. Concordia still has an outside shot at a share of the GPAC regular-season title. It needs Hastings to defeat Briar Cliff and Briar Cliff to defeat Morningside.
Returning to form in 2020
In the fall of 2020, Concordia University Women’s Soccer returned to form while re-solidifying itself as one of the top programs in the GPAC. The abnormal fall season concluded on Nov. 14 when the Bulldogs celebrated a signature victory over eventual GPAC regular-season champion Briar Cliff. Inside a circle of smiling teammates, players took turns jumping into the middle and breaking out in dance routines.
Other than locking up a GPAC championship, this was the about the next best way to wrap things up for the fall. The victory was representative of the growth Concordia showed over a short period of time.
“I’ve been really proud of the girls,” said Head Coach Thomas Goines, who is in the midst of his first season with the Bulldogs. “They worked hard this fall. Through a season of ups and downs and unknowns, they’ve stayed as consistent and as focused as you could expect them to be. The big turnaround has really just been about the ability to focus and have that team mentality. We’ve been able to do that all year. It felt good to end the fall on a win.”
Most of the key performers for the 2020 team experienced the 0-6 start to a 2019 season that saw Concordia drop below the lofty standard the program had become known for. Members of the team will tell you that the record a year ago (6-11-2 overall) did not reflect the overall talent inside the program. Some tweaks here and there were really all that was needed to trend back towards the top of the conference standings.
As for the 2020 campaign, the Bulldogs found themselves at somewhat of a crossroads after suffering back-to-back defeats to begin the month of October. A 2-1 overtime win over Jamestown on Oct. 10 signaled a turning point. Concordia had found a way to beat an opponent that had ended its 2019 season in the GPAC quarterfinals (by a 4-0 score). Senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley knows all about the swings of emotions and the coaching transitions that have occurred within the program in recent years.
“I’d say one of the biggest factors (in our success) is our team chemistry,” Carley said. “Last year we struggled with finding our identity as a team and this year we were really able to solidify who we are. That greatly contributed to our success on the field and it showed in both the offense and the defense. We also had a lot of players step up this year and fill in key roles that we were missing last year. Marty (Mikeila Martinez) stepped up and became our top goal scorer, which was what we easily missed the most last year. Overall, everyone was just really bought in this season.”
Carley and company went 6-0-1 over the final seven games of the fall and finished in a tie for second place in the GPAC (9-2-1 GPAC record). Heading into the final week of the regular season, the Bulldogs still had a shot at a share of the conference title. Not only did it tag Briar Cliff with its only loss of the fall, Concordia also defeated arch rival Hastings, 1-0, on Oct. 17.
As part of the closing seven-game stretch, Martinez and Cheyenne Smith produced a golden goal apiece and freshman Sydney Ross’ hustle resulted in the game-winner versus Hastings. There was also the 7-0 demolition of Doane and a 5-0 triumph at Presentation. Only a 2-2 draw at Midland (a game the Bulldogs led 2-0) stood in the way in an otherwise perfect fall finish.
Said Goines of that run, “I think it was mentality. It took those setbacks to really see what the character of this group was going to be – to find that confidence and who they are and what their game is. We were able to find some big wins and take it a match at a time against some very tough teams. The win over Hastings was a big point for us in the season. This team decided it was going to focus in and do the little things right. At that point forward it was a different season.”
Carley, Tori Cera and Michaela Twito had all been starters for the 2017 team that won the GPAC regular-season title with an undefeated (9-0-1) league record. Unfortunately, this year’s squad had to play without Cera (two-time first team All-GPAC) for an extended period until she returned for the win over Hastings. Her presence appeared to take the team to a higher level and give it a new surge of energy in the middle of the season.
This year’s team seems to have a little something extra, a little something that the 2019 team never quite unlocked. Twito believes Goines has played a central role in helping re-instill confidence that Concordia could beat anyone on its schedule.
Said Twito, “He will never admit it and always say that it is the players who do all the work, but Coach Goines has done amazing things for this program. We are fortunate to have the ultimate coaching staff. He is one of the best coaches I have trained under and will push you further than you want to be pushed sometimes. At the end of the day, he knows his stuff. He knows how to win games, he knows how to motivate and he knows soccer. I am grateful that he came to Concordia and saw this program as having potential.”
Twito also is thankful to God for the opportunity to enjoy a senior season that had been put in jeopardy by the COVID-19 virus. One of the more colorful personalities on the team, Twito is a competitor when she steps on the field. Both Carley and Twito are believers in this team after what they saw this fall. Particularly on the defensive end, the Bulldogs have shown they can completely take an opponent out of its game.
“Our team has gained our confidence back and remembers what we are capable of,” Twito said. “I am convinced that every girl on our team will go all out in practice and in games leading up to the tournament. I am looking forward to the spring season to come. The dogs are hungry.”
Carley came back for a fifth year in the program. After last season’s struggles, this will feel like a much more fitting way for the Urbandale, Iowa, native to go out. One of the top goalkeepers in program history, Carley says that members of the team “truly are a family” while also saying that “it definitely means a lot more when you’re winning with your friends and not just your teammates.”
As April draws nearer, the anticipation of again having the opportunity to host in the conference tournament will grow. “We beat a lot of really talented teams to close out our season and I think that’s very telling of our team’s potential to win the tournament this spring,” Carley said. “We dominated a majority of our games, which made my job pretty easy compared to prior years. If we continue at the level of play that we left off at, there’s no doubt in my mind we will make a big run in the tournament this spring.”
The GPAC tournament is set to get underway on April 3, 2021, as part of an unprecedented two-part season. Unofficially, the Bulldogs will be the No. 3 seed in the GPAC.
Said Goines, “It’s going to be a matter of how quickly we can get off the ground running and how soon we can get to our highest level of play. It’s the same challenge everyone will face. It’s going to be unique, but our focus will be on getting ourselves back physically and as clean as we can be heading into that first-round matchup.”
Eight Bulldogs collect all-conference laurels
December 18, 2020
2020 All-GPAC Women’s Soccer Team
SEWARD, Neb. – After contending for a GPAC regular season title, the Concordia University Women’s Soccer program has been rewarded with eight 2020 All-GPAC awards, as announced by the conference on Thursday (Dec. 17). The group includes a pair of first team All-GPAC honorees in junior Mikeila Martinez and sophomore Grace Soenksen, as well as a second team choice in sophomore Allee Downing. Five Bulldogs picked honorable mention accolades: sophomore Jaiden Beecher, senior Lindsey Carley, junior Madeline Haugen, junior Cheyenne Smith and senior Michaela Twito.
In his first season leading the Bulldogs, Head Coach Thomas Goines guided the 2020 team to a league record of 9-2-1 (9-3-1 overall) and a tie for second place in the GPAC standings. Concordia has earned the right to host a GPAC quarterfinal game when the postseason takes place in the spring of 2021.
A native of Fairfield, Calif., Martinez enjoyed a breakout season in an attacking midfield role. The first team recognition marks the first all-conference award of her career. Martinez paced the Bulldogs with seven goals, including two game winners, this fall. She also added three assists. Martinez produced two goals in separate games against Mount Marty, Jamestown and Midland. Her PK goal in the season finale lifted Concordia over GPAC regular season champion Briar Cliff.
One of five siblings to have played soccer at Concordia, Soenksen moved up from honorable mention status as a freshman. From her center back position, the Lincoln native has been a key factor in the program’s ability to limit opposing attackers. Soenksen played in 12 games this fall while contributing to eight clean sheets. She also added a goal and two assists and was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 29.
A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Downing joined Soenksen along the back line as an outside back. Following 1-0 wins over College of Saint Mary and Hastings, Downing was honored as the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week. As Goines noted, Downing very rarely was beaten by the opposition via dribble or service. In 32 career games at Concordia, Downing has recorded two goals and one assist.
Named the 2017 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year, Carley has added yet another honor to her impressive career ledger. The Urbandale, Iowa, native ended the fall with a shutout of Briar Cliff and was tabbed GPAC Defensive Player of the Week. On the season, Carley has made 34 saves, owns an .810 save percentage and ranks 25th nationally in goals against average (.630). On the program’s all-time goalkeeper record book, Carley ranks No. 1 in goals against average (0.91), second in games played (67), second in minutes played (6,113), second in shutouts (22), second in save percentage (.811) and third in saves (266).
A four-year starter, Twito has earned four All-GPAC honors in her career. The midfielder from Ames, Iowa, started all 13 games this fall as one of the team’s most dependable players. In 73 career games, Twito owns five goals. Smith (Alpine, Calif.) has twice been named honorable mention all-conference as a Bulldog. Smith has posted three goals and two assists this season. Meanwhile, Beecher (Omaha, Neb.) and Haugen (San Diego, Calif.) have both picked up All-GPAC honors for the first time. Beecher ranks second on the team with four goals. Haugen has chipped in with two goals and four assists.
Women's soccer adds three games to spring 2021 schedule
December 21, 2020
2020-21 Women’s Soccer Schedule
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Women’s Soccer program has added three games to the spring 2021 varsity schedule, as announced on Monday (Dec. 21). Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad played 13 regular season games this fall before wrapping up action for the calendar year 2020. The schedule additions will allow the Bulldogs to get their feet back underneath them prior to the GPAC tournament in April 2021.
Varsity schedule additions for spring 2021:
· Saturday, March 6 at Southwestern College (Winfield, Kan.), 2 p.m.
· Saturday, March 20 at Benedictine College (Atchison, Kan.), 1 p.m.
· Saturday, March 27 vs. Grand View University (Bulldog Stadium), 2 p.m.
All three contests shown above will count towards Concordia’s overall regular season record. Each nonconference foe included on the March 2021 slate also played a large portion of the regular season this fall. Southwestern (6-3) is a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference while Benedictine (7-3-1) and Grand View (6-5-1) reside in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (all within the NAIA). A perennially strong program, Benedictine finished the 2019 season ranked 23rd in the NAIA.
Goines led his squad to a fall record of 9-3-1 overall. Concordia went 9-2-1 in conference play and tied for second place in the GPAC. Unofficially, the Bulldogs will be the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament and will host a GPAC quarterfinal game on Saturday, April 3 with kickoff at 2 p.m. CT. The dates for the proceeding rounds are April 6 for the semifinals and April 9 for the championship game.
There were also two spring additions made to the reserve/JV schedule (both at home): March 16 versus Doane and March 24 versus Southeast Community College (Beatrice).
Eight Bulldogs earned some form of All-GPAC accolades, as announced by the GPAC last week. Junior Mikeila Martinez and sophomore Grace Soenksen were named to the first team while sophomore Allee Downing landed on the second team. For the complete list of honorees, click HERE.
Double OT decision goes to Southwestern in first spring action
March 6, 2021
WINFIELD, Kan. – Part two of the 2020-21 season is officially underway for the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team. With the GPAC and NAIA national tournaments moved to the spring semester, the Bulldogs are getting their feet back underneath them at a time that would normally be reserved purely for training and development. Not this spring. Concordia dropped a 1-0 double overtime decision at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan., on Saturday (March 6).
Back in the fall, Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad tied for second place in the GPAC regular season standings. The Bulldogs are 9-4-1 overall with the postseason looming at the beginning of April.
“We didn’t expect that we would probably play our cleanest game,” Goines said. “Certainly we struggled in the first half trying to get back to where we were in the fall. Second half looked a lot better and overtime we played fairly well. We got caught on a counter attack (on the golden goal).
“This game gave us a chance to put some responsibility on some younger players who haven’t had to deal with that. This was about the youngest team we’ve thrown out this year. They’re growing into it and hopefully learned something from it.”
From a statistical standpoint, Concordia dominated the second half. It owned a shot advantage of 10-1 during that 45-minute period, yet still could not manage to find the back of the net. That lack of execution left the Bulldogs vulnerable twice in the overtime sessions when they had breakdowns in the back. Goalkeeper Lindsey Carley saved one of those in the first overtime. However, the second occurrence resulted in the game winner in the 107th minute for Hailey Rouse.
Goines plans to have a different lineup next time out when more of the roster will be available. Despites some notable absences, Concordia mostly looked like the same well-organized defensive time team from the fall. The Moundbuilders (8-3) put only three shots on frame and registered just seven total shots.
Three Bulldogs made their first start of the season in Saturday’s game: Lina Kirst, Kadyn Lane and Lisa McClain. A total of 15 players saw action in the match. Concordia took 13 shots, including four on goal (one apiece by Aliyah Aldama, McClain, Cheyenne Smith and Michaela Twito).
Southwestern had also hosted Bacone College (Okla.) on Feb. 27 and won, 6-0. The Moundbuilders compete as a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference of the NAIA.
The Bulldogs will wait two weeks until playing at Benedictine College on Saturday, March 20. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Atchison, Kan. Concordia is also slate to host Grand View University (Iowa) On March 27 and Dakota Wesleyan (GPAC quarterfinals) on April 3.
Bulldogs battle closely with perennially strong Benedictine
March 20, 2021
ATCHISON, Kan. – Up against a perennially strong program, the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team made it a 90-minute battle in Atchison, Kan., on Saturday (March 20). Host Benedictine College got a 34th-minute goal from Meagan Papin and saw out a 1-0 victory at Legacy Field. The Bulldogs were shut out for the second outing in a row this spring.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad now stands at 9-5-1 overall. Concordia also dropped a 1-0 double overtime decision at Southwestern College (Kan.) on March 6.
“I was very proud of our team today,” Goines said. “Our second match of the spring was against a very strong team in our region. After we kicked off the rust, we played a very even match. We had chances in the run of play to even the score and were just not clinical enough in those moments. It was definitely the type of match we want to have to prepare for the GPAC playoffs.”
The Bulldogs got closer to full strength on Saturday in a solid showing. The negative was an ability to finish on the attacking end. After being narrowly outshot in the first half (7-5), Concordia was held without a shot over the final 45 minutes. Leading goal scorer Mikeila Martinez was most active for the Bulldogs in firing three shots, including one on goal.
Benedictine (10-3-2) entered the contest situated as the first team outside of the latest NAIA coaches’ poll. The goal scored by Papin was her first this season. Goalkeepers Olivia Berry and Ashley Rehagen split the 90 minutes evenly while combining on the shutout.
On the other end, Lindsey Carley made five saves to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance. As a unit, Concordia managed to limit the Ravens to 11 total shots while being led on the back end by the likes of all-conference defenders Allee Downing and Grace Soenksen.
The Bulldogs will make their first home appearance of the spring next Saturday (March 27) when Grand View University (Iowa) is scheduled to make a visit to Bulldog Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. CT. The Vikings improved to 7-5-1 overall with a 1-0 win at Waldorf University (Iowa) on March 13. Next week’s match will be the final one before the GPAC quarterfinals take place on April 3.
Concordia clipped by Grand View in double OT
March 28, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – For the first time this spring, the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team made an official game appearance inside Bulldog Stadium. Despite gaining a 1-0 lead on Michaela Twito’s second half goal, the Bulldogs suffered defeat at the hands of visiting Grand View University (Iowa). A mistake in the back was capitalized on by Samantha Milani, who knocked in the golden goal in double OT in a 2-1 decision.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad has lost all three spring outings, each by one-goal margins (two in double overtime) and now carries an overall record of 9-6-1. Though the results have not been favorable, Goines sees progress being made.
“The theme for us this spring is that I think we’ve grown in every game,” Goines said. “They came at us with a unique system as they’re preparing for their playoffs. It’s a unique low pressure, low line system that we have not seen. We took a few minutes to grow into it and figure out what we needed to do to break it down. I think we controlled large portions of the match once we did figure some things out. There were certainly a handful of moments we wish we could clean up against a good side.”
One of those moments led to the game winner for the Vikings (9-5-1), who compete as a member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference. When Milani got in behind Concordia’s back line, there was nothing drawn out goalkeeper Lindsey Carley could do to preserve the tie. Milani’s goal set off a Grand View celebration with roughly three minutes remaining in the second overtime.
With a team that looks a bit different than the one the Bulldogs put on the field in the fall, goals have been challenging to come by. It was an encouraging sign when Twito found the back of the net in the 53rd minute for her first goal of the season. Mikeila Martinez executed the corner kick to provide the Twito the opportunity. It was one of six shots put on frame by Concordia, which held a slight overall shots advantage of 8-7 for the game.
“Today we had a lot more urgency to get goals,” Goines said. “We had a handful of times where we hit some dangerous balls in the 18. We had some nice restarts and shots set up outside the box. We were better, but not clean enough in certain parts. It’s been a progression.”
Carley notched three saves. The Bulldogs enjoyed the 1-0 lead for only a brief moment. Emma De Costa emerged with the equalizer in the 56th minute. Viking keeper Celenka Hommel recorded five saves.
Now it’s all about prepping for the GPAC tournament. As the No. 3 seed, the Bulldogs will host sixth-seeded Dakota Wesleyan (9-7, 7-5 GPAC) at 7 p.m. CT next Saturday (April 3) in the quarterfinals. The winner will advance to play in the semifinals on April 6.
Game Preview: GPAC quarterfinal presents refresh opportunity
March 31, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – It’s now time to turn the page to the postseason for Concordia University Women’s Soccer. The Bulldogs hope that a challenging run of nonconference spring has adequately prepared them for a GPAC tournament run. As the No. 3 seed, Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad will host sixth-seeded Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday night in the GPAC quarterfinals.
GPAC Quarterfinal Game Info
Concordia (9-6-1, 9-2-1) vs. Dakota Wesleyan (9-7, 7-5)
Saturday, April 3 | 7 p.m. CT
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network (fee required)
Commentator: Frank Greene
Tickets: https://www.cune.edu/athletics/tickets (also sold on site)
--Admission: $10 for adults/senior citizens, $3 for K-12; only those with NAIA passes and GPAC student ID’s will be admitted free of charge.
Fan policy: Bulldog Stadium will welcome fans for Saturday’s game (up to 75 percent capacity). Per GPAC policy, fans are required to wear face coverings and are encouraged to distance themselves from other family groups.
By the numbers
· In action this spring, Concordia has dropped all three outings by a margin of one goal. The Bulldogs fell on the road to Southwestern College (Kan.), 1-0 (2 OT), and Benedictine College (Kan.), 1-0, and surrendered a home decision to Grand View University (Iowa), 2-1 (2 OT). Benedictine continues to receive votes in the NAIA national poll. The Bulldogs went 0-4 outside of conference play this season. They also were beaten in overtime, 1-0, by Bellevue University in the fall.
· Back in the fall, Concordia finished the GPAC regular-season slate in strong fashion. The Bulldogs went 6-0-1 over the final seven contests of the conference regular season, closing that stretch with a 1-0 victory over GPAC champion Briar Cliff (now ranked 18th in the NAIA). The seven-game unbeaten streak also included wins over Jamestown, College of Saint Mary, Hastings, Doane and Presentation.
· A look at the scores shows Concordia has struggled to find the back of the net this spring. On the year, Mikeila Martinez paces the Bulldogs with seven goals. Meanwhile, Jaiden Beecher has scored four goals and Cheyenne Smith has contributed three. Senior Michaela Twito got on the board with her first goal of the season by capitalizing on a header in the box (off a corner from Martinez).
· The end of a sparkling career for goalkeeper Lindsey Carley is nearing. In 70 career collegiate games, the Urbandale, Iowa, native has totaled 276 saves and 22 shutouts and owns a save percentage of .807 and goals against average of 0.926. Carley ranks in the top two of nearly every key goalkeeper statistic in the history of the program. She is the all-time leader in goals against average, just in front of Chrissy Lind (0.93).
· Concordia will have a chance to avenge one of its two GPAC regular season losses on Saturday. On Oct. 3, 2020, the Tigers came to Seward and emerged with a 1-0 victory. Alondra Partida scored the game’s only goal.
The opponent
In two official games this spring, Dakota Wesleyan has lost to Tabor College (Kan.), 1-0, and to Kansas Wesleyan University, 2-0. The Tigers have improved significantly after going 2-9-1 in GPAC play in 2019. Dakota Wesleyan has been playing this spring without top goal scorer Alyssa Weidler, who has 11 goals on the season. In 16 games this season, the Tigers have outscored their opponents by a combined total of 32-21.
GPAC Semifinals
The Concordia/Dakota Wesleyan winner will advance to the GPAC semifinals and play either second-seeded Morningside or seventh-seeded Midland on April 6. The highest seeds get the honor of hosting in each round. The championship game will be played on Friday, April 9.
McNary, Aldama emerge in 2-1 GPAC quarterfinal win
April 3, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – Here’s to hoping the GPAC tournament magic is back for the Concordia University Women’s Soccer program. The likes of Callie McNary and Aliyah Aldama emerged as goal scorers on Saturday (April 3) for a squad that had been struggling on the attack. After three-straight close defeats this spring, the Bulldogs got back in the win column with a 2-1 decision over visiting Dakota Wesleyan in postseason play.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad has earned the right to host again in the GPAC semifinals. Concordia (10-6-1) is 7-0-1 in its last eight games against conference opponents. Given all that has happened in the spring, this one felt sweet.
“It’s been a growing process for us this spring,” Goines said. “We’ve been absent some players different games. Our lineup has changed pretty much every single match and we’ve played some very challenging opponents. Dakota Wesleyan isn’t any different. They’re a quality side and gave us everything we could handle tonight. It was a sense of relief. Our girls had this match circled.”
For a majority of the 90 minutes, the Bulldogs out-possessed the Tigers and finished with advantages of 13-5 advantage in shots in 7-0 in corner kicks. That didn’t mean there weren’t some anxious moments. DWU’s Alondra Partida delivered an impressive free kick goal from roughly 25 yards out for the equalizer (1-1) in the 48th minute. That could have turned the tide, except Aliyah Aldama wouldn’t allow it.
Aldama one-upped Partida with a did-she-really-just-do-that type of goal. The native of Torrance, Calif., struck a laser beam into the goal from 30-plus yards away. The Tigers had barely finished celebrating Partida’s goal when Aldama fired off the highlight of the night (for her third goal this season). DWU managed only a single shot (that missed well off the mark) over the final 40 minutes.
Said McNary, “We’ve faced so much adversity. We all came together and bonded as a team. It really was a team win tonight from Carl (Lindsey Carley) all the way up to our forwards. We really pushed hard for that win and never stopped.”
It was part hustle and part being in the right place at the right time that led to McNary finding the back of the net in the 19th minute. She was the beneficiary of a scramble that occurred after Lina Kirst lofted a corner kick into the box that was then headed by Michaela Twito. The Ames, Iowa, senior put a couple of shots on frame in set-piece situations.
Dakota Wesleyan (9-8) enjoyed a bit of a breakthrough season that included quality victories over the likes of Concordia, Hastings and Midland. For the most part, the Tiger attack was stifled on Saturday. Of course left back Allee Downing’s play in the back always stands out. She joined a back line that included McNary, Sydney Ross and Grace Soenksen.
Some good stories will have to continue to emerge for the run to carry on. Said Goines, “We were missing a portion of our offense tonight. With Callie we’ve been working restarts on corners for a while. She’s been dying to get her moment. She put it away and that was great. Aliyah’s been playing great for a couple weeks. All the hard work is paying off for her.”
Because seventh-seeded Midland (7-5-3) upset second-seeded Morningside (12-4-1) on Saturday, Concordia will be back at Bulldog Stadium on Tuesday (April 6). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT. The Warriors are a dangerous No. 7 seed as a program that swept GPAC regular season and tournament titles in 2019.
Game Preview: Midland to visit Bulldog Stadium for GPAC semifinals
April 5, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – Two rivals will go head-to-head on Tuesday with a spot in the GPAC championship game on the line. The third-seeded Concordia University Women’s Soccer team has begun preparations to host seventh-seeded Midland in a conference tournament semifinal clash set to kick off at 7 p.m. CT. Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad will quickly turn around after defeating Dakota Wesleyan, 2-1, in the quarterfinals over the weekend.
GPAC Semifinal Game Info
Concordia (10-6-1) vs. Midland (7-5-3)
Tuesday, April 6 | 7 p.m. CT
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Commentator: Frank Greene
Tickets: https://www.cune.edu/athletics/tickets (also sold on site)
--Admission: $10 for adults/senior citizens, $3 for K-12; only those with NAIA passes and GPAC student ID’s will be admitted free of charge.
Fan policy: Bulldog Stadium will welcome fans for Tuesday’s game (up to 75 percent capacity). Per GPAC policy, fans are required to wear face coverings and are encouraged to distance themselves from other family groups.
By the numbers
· Dating back to the final outing of the fall portion of the season, the Bulldogs have played five-straight games that have been decided by one-goal margins. That run started with a 1-0 win over a Briar Cliff team that is currently ranked 18th in the NAIA. It continued with defeats at the hands of Southwestern College (Kan.), 1-0 (2 OT), Benedictine College (Kan.), 1-0, and Grand View University (Iowa), 2-1 (2 OT). Concordia got back in the win column last week with the triumph over Dakota Wesleyan.
· Each of the aforementioned losses came against nonconference opponents. On the other hand, the Bulldogs own an eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1) over GPAC foes. The only tie during that stretch occurred at Midland, 2-2, on Nov. 4. The wins have come against Jamestown, College of Saint Mary, Hastings, Doane, Presentation, Briar Cliff and Dakota Wesleyan. By knocking off DWU, Concordia affectively avenged one of its two GPAC regular-season defeats from the fall.
· As one can tell by the scores, the Bulldogs had been struggling to find the back of the net heading into postseason play. Goines has said it will take a by-committee approach to get things done on the attack. Over 17 games this season, 16 different Concordia players have combined for 37 goals. Center back Callie McNary became the 16th unique goal scorer when she put the Bulldogs up 1-0 in the 19th minute versus DWU. Then in the second half, Aliyah Aldama broke a 1-1 tie with an impressive strike from roughly 30 yards out (for her third goal of the season). Aldama is one of five Bulldogs with at least three goals this season.
· The program is no stranger to GPAC postseason success. Last season was an exception when Concordia was beaten, 4-0, in the quarterfinals by Jamestown. Prior to 2019, the Bulldogs had reached the GPAC postseason championship game five-straight years with titles coming in 2014 and 2016. During that five-year run, Concordia and Midland twice met in the GPAC semifinals (2016 and 2018) with the Bulldogs claiming 1-0 wins in both instances.
· The hope is to continue to extend the career of senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley (in her fifth year in the program), one of the top keepers in school history. On the program’s all-time career keeper lists, the native of Urbandale, Iowa, ranks first in goals against average (0.927), second in shutouts (22), second in save percentage (.805), second in games played (71) and third in saves (277). Carley was named the 2017 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year.
The opponent
Midland has been a strong program under Head Coach Greg Jarosik, who led the Warriors to a sweep of GPAC regular season/postseason titles in 2019. Midland lost a lot of firepower from that ’19 squad, but it has allowed only 15 goals in 15 games this season. The Warriors landed two players on the 2020 All-GPAC second team: forward Dana Gomez and midfielder Brittany Llanes. In last week’s upset of No. 2 seed Morningside (receiving votes nationally), Llanes came through with the game’s only goal. Midland is an athletic team and a dangerous No. 7 seed.
GPAC tournament results
Quarterfinals
(1) Briar Cliff def. (8) Dordt, 4-1
(5) Jamestown def. (4) Hastings, 2-1
(3) Concordia def. (6) Dakota Wesleyan, 2-1
(7) Midland def. (2) Morningside, 1-0
The Concordia/Midland winner will advance to play either Briar Cliff or Jamestown in the GPAC championship game on Friday, April 9.
PK heart stopper sends Bulldogs back to GPAC title game
April 6, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – If you thought a standard five rounds of penalty kicks made for a tense finish, try eight. That’s what it took Tuesday (April 7) night to decide a GPAC finalist in another postseason rivalry clash between the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team and Midland. In the end, it was Bethany Fuchs who set off a wild celebration with the clincher on PK No. 8 of the shootout. That tension followed a 0-0 draw in 110 minutes of the GPAC semifinal matchup.
This program is accustomed to making runs to the GPAC championship game, but this one comes under unique circumstances. November glory has been traded for April jubilation. Head Coach Thomas Goines’ has his team (10-6-2 overall) moving on to the conference final in his first season leading the Bulldogs.
“It’s kind of an unfair finish to a really good match,” Goines said. “Midland played a great game. It was my favorite match of the entire year. When you get to that point it’s every emotion wrapped into one. It takes bravery for these kids to step up in front of the crowd after playing two full periods of overtime and take the shot. It’s immense. I’ve experienced a handful in my playing career and a handful in my coaching career and none of them are easy. It’s hard to explain the emotion. When you win, there’s not a better feeling.”
At times it felt like Concordia was running into a brick wall in terms of its offensive attack. The Warriors mounted a greater number of dangerous chances in the first 90 minutes, but this one had the feel of a game that was destined for a shootout. Goalkeeper Lindsey Carley made seven saves and the Bulldogs were able to contain athletic striker Brittany Llanes (three shots on goal).
There was just one single shot apiece over the 20 minutes of overtime action. Both teams played to preserve the tie and set the stage for a dramatic conclusion. Both teams converted two the first five PKs. Both teams traded successful tries in the sixth and seventh PK rounds before a Midland misfire in round eight gave Concordia another crack at clinching it. That’s when Fuchs calmly rocketed a shot into the back of the net.
The transfer from Western Nebraska Community College will never forget this night. Said Fuchs, “All week long we prepared for this moment, whether it was going to come down to PKs or not. I felt very prepared going into the moment. I knew exactly where I was going to shoot it. I knew exactly when the whistle blew not to give it any time and just go for it. No matter what happens, I have a team behind my back supporting me.”
It truly has been a team effort for the Bulldogs to navigate their way back to the GPAC final. This isn’t quite the same squad Goines put out in the fall. There are different pieces playing larger minutes and some of the roles have changed. Goals are not easy to come by, but this team will fight you to the end. In the quarterfinals, Callie McNary and Aliyah Aldama emerged with a goal apiece – whatever it takes.
Said Goines, “I can’t be more proud of how far they’ve come in such a short period of time. COVID makes everything you do a challenge from scheduling practice to having a spring season. We’ve had players coming and going. It’s been a tough thing to adjust. Some players’ roles have changed. Stepping up in these moments is huge. I couldn’t be more proud of how far they’ve come.”
Lina Kirst had a shot in the final minute of double overtime that went just over the crossbar, but that was one of the very few serious attacks after regulation. The seventh-seeded Warriors had the upper hand in the shot department, 13-9, and had a slight edge in corners, 9-8. Midland (7-5-4) reached the semifinals by upsetting No. 2 seed Morningside in the quarterfinals.
Another upset on the other side of the bracket means Concordia will also host the GPAC tournament title game, just as the program did in 2016 and 2017. The Bulldogs will welcome fifth-seeded Jamestown to Seward for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on Friday (April 9) with a national tournament bid at stake. Concordia has advanced to the conference postseason final in six of the past seven seasons.
PK Shootout Recap
· Midland: Rachel Thigpen – N (0-0)
· Concordia: Jaiden Beecher – N (0-0)
· Midland: Chloe Dietz – N (0-0)
· Concordia: Michaela Twito – Y (1-0 CUNE)
· Midland: Melissa Warner – Y (1-1)
· Concordia: Lina Kirst – Y (2-1 CUNE)
· Midland: Arianna Flores – Y (2-2)
· Concordia: Sydney Ross – N (2-2)
· Midland: Brittany Llanes – N (2-2)
· Concordia: Cheyenne Smith – N (2-2)
· Midland: Emily Ambrose – Y (3-2 MID)
· Concordia: Allee Downing – Y (3-3)
· Midland: Dana Gomez – Y (4-3 MID)
· Concordia: Ellie Eason – Y (4-4)
· Midland: Lauren Montgomery – N (4-4)
· Concordia: Bethany Fuchs – Y (5-4 CUNE)
Game Preview: Bulldog Stadium to host GPAC championship for third time since 2016
April 7, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – It’s been a wild and hair-raising ride, but the Concordia University Women’s Soccer program is back in the GPAC postseason championship game. As the No. 3 seed, the Bulldogs have watched things break just right in order for them to host in every round of the tournament. Jamestown will be the next opponent to make its way to Bulldog Stadium. Kickoff on Friday is set for 7 p.m. CT.
GPAC Championship Game Info
Concordia (10-6-2) vs. Jamestown (13-7)
Friday, April 6 | 7 p.m. CT
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Commentator: Frank Greene
Tickets: https://www.cune.edu/athletics/tickets (also sold on site)
--Admission: $10 for adults/senior citizens, $3 for K-12; only those with NAIA passes and GPAC student ID’s will be admitted free of charge.
Fan policy: Bulldog Stadium will welcome fans for Friday’s game (up to 75 percent capacity). Per GPAC policy, fans are required to wear face coverings and are encouraged to distance themselves from other family groups.
By the numbers
· Not since the 2017 GPAC championship game had Concordia played a postseason contest that went to a PK shootout (lost the shootout, 3-2, to Hastings). The result this time was much more favorable to the Bulldogs. Incredibly, it took eight rounds of PKs to settle the outcome in Wednesday night’s battle with rival Midland. After the Warriors misfired on their attempt on PK No. 8, junior Bethany Fuchs set off a celebration by finding the back of the net. The two sides had played to a 0-0 stalemate after 110 minutes of action.
· Dating back to the final outing of the fall portion of the season, the Bulldogs have played six-straight games that have been decided by one-goal margins – or a penalty kick shootout. That run started with a 1-0 win over a Briar Cliff team that is currently ranked 18th in the NAIA. It continued with defeats at the hands of Southwestern College (Kan.), 1-0 (2 OT), Benedictine College (Kan.), 1-0, and Grand View University (Iowa), 2-1 (2 OT). Concordia got back in the win column last week with the triumph over Dakota Wesleyan.
· Each of the aforementioned losses came against nonconference opponents. On the other hand, the Bulldogs own a nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2) versus GPAC foes. Both ties have come against Midland (Wednesday’s result is officially recorded as a draw). The wins have come against Jamestown, College of Saint Mary, Hastings, Doane, Presentation, Briar Cliff and Dakota Wesleyan. By knocking off DWU, Concordia affectively avenged one of its two GPAC regular-season defeats from the fall.
· As one can tell by the scores, the Bulldogs had been struggling to find the back of the net heading into postseason play. Goines has said it will take a by-committee approach to get things done on the attack. Over 18 games this season, 16 different Concordia players have combined for 37 goals. Center back Callie McNary became the 16th unique goal scorer when she put the Bulldogs up 1-0 in the 19th minute versus DWU. Then in the second half, Aliyah Aldama broke a 1-1 tie with an impressive strike from roughly 30 yards out (for her third goal of the season). Aldama is one of five Bulldogs with at least three goals this season.
· The program is no stranger to GPAC postseason success. Last season was an exception when Concordia was beaten, 4-0, in the quarterfinals by Jamestown. Prior to 2019, the Bulldogs had reached the GPAC postseason championship game five-straight years with titles coming in 2014 and 2016. During that five-year run, Concordia and Midland twice met in the GPAC semifinals (2016 and 2018) with the Bulldogs claiming 1-0 wins in both instances. In other words, Concordia has now advanced past Midland in the semifinals in three of the past five seasons.
· The hope is to continue to extend the career of senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carley (in her fifth year in the program), one of the top keepers in school history. On the program’s all-time career keeper lists, the native of Urbandale, Iowa, ranks first in goals against average (0.911), second in shutouts (23), second in save percentage (.809), second in games played (72) and third in saves (284). Carley was named the 2017 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year.
The opponent
Based on seeding, it took two upsets for fifth-seeded Jamestown to reach the GPAC final. Head Coach Nick Becker’s squad has gone on the road for postseason wins over Hastings, 2-1, and 18th-ranked Briar Cliff, 1-0. During the regular season, the Jimmies had been beaten by both opponents. Jamestown also suffered a 2-1 overtime loss at Concordia back on Oct. 10. Through 20 games, the Jimmies have outscored their opponents by a combined total of 43-23. The team’s top goal scorer is Kamryn Fiscus, who has tallied 10 goals and 10 assists this season.
GPAC tournament results
Quarterfinals – April 3
(1) Briar Cliff def. (8) Dordt, 4-1
(5) Jamestown def. (4) Hastings, 2-1
(3) Concordia def. (6) Dakota Wesleyan, 2-1
(7) Midland def. (2) Morningside, 1-0
Semifinals – April 6
(5) Jamestown 1, (1) Briar Cliff 0
(3) Concordia 0, (7) Midland 0 (2 OT); Concordia advances on PKs
Championship – April 9
(5) Jamestown at (3) Concordia, 7 p.m.
The Concordia/Jamestown winner will earn an automatic berth to play in the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round. The opening round will take place April 15-17 with action unfolding at campus locations.
Gutty Bulldogs capture program's third GPAC tourney title
April 9, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – The run through the GPAC postseason wasn’t always a thing of beauty, but when it came to a nerve-wracking conclusion, it was the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team that celebrated with the trophy and banner. Appearing in the final home game of her career, goalkeeper Lindsey Carley showed the heart of a champion. She made 13 critical saves in a 2-1 championship game win over Jamestown on a drizzly, chilly Friday (April 9) night inside Bulldog Stadium.
The Bulldogs (11-6-2) aren’t exactly an underdog program considering their recent success, but this moment would have seemed improbable at certain points this spring. This April, Head Coach Thomas Goines got his team to believe and to take on the identity of a gritty, tough defensive-oriented bunch.
“It’s just belief,” Goines said. “We’ve gone over how many things they had to overcome this year. It was just about believing that you can come out against a very, very good team like Jamestown, who’s riding a high. We came out and grinded out a result. It boils down to believing you have the ability to do it and execute when you can. All the credit goes to the girls for being able to take this moment and be bigger than it.”
The consistent rain sometimes put members of both teams on roller skates. While splish-splashing around the park, the fifth-seeded Jimmies (13-8) managed to outshoot Concordia, 19-6. Even when the Bulldogs gained a 2-0 advantage on Bethany Fuchs’ breakaway goal, it didn’t feel safe. Jamestown finally cracked the scoreboard in the 72nd minute when Autumn Opperud slid the ball over the goal line from point-blank range. If only for a moment, the brick wall that was Carley had been broken down.
Less than two minutes earlier, Carley had preserved the shutout with a denial of Kamryn Fiscus on a penalty kick. A five-year member of the program, Carley had been the starting keeper for heartbreaking GPAC tournament finals against Hastings in both 2017 and 2018. No, not this time.
“My sophomore and junior year we came so close, but we just couldn’t finish it out,” Carley said. “To be able to come out and finish it in my last year is just amazing. I couldn’t ask for better teammates to have next to me … it took a moment to switch back on after having a gap from the fall. We had to rebuild and re-establish who we were. We were ready for the tournament.”
Fuchs earned credit for the game-winning goal, three days after she played the role of hero in a semifinal shootout advancement that took eight rounds of PKs. In the 67th minute on Friday, Fuchs got loose behind the Jimmie defenders with the help of a well-executed ball by Lina Kirst. Fuchs had her first shot saved by keeper Alex Nowka. She calmly followed the rebound and put away a monumental goal.
Kirst also set up the game’s first goal with a perfectly placed free kick that ping-ponged its way to Cheyenne Smith, who got enough of the ball to find the back of the net. At that point, a potential GPAC title felt real.
“I think we scored with 35 minutes left in the half and that was the longest 35 minutes I’ve ever lived through,” Goines said. “I don’t know if I could tell you the right word for the emotion. There’s a certain disbelief and absolute elation for the staff and the girls. Yelling and jumping up and down was about all we could do to express ourselves.”
Fifteen different Bulldogs saw action on Friday and many more had a hand in making this possible. Allee Downing and Grace Soenksen were terrific all year while senior Michaela Twito has been a rock in the midfield. Aliyah Aldama and Callie McNary came through with a goal apiece in the quarterfinals and there was that unforgettable PK shootout in the semifinals – the list goes on.
As soon as reality sets in, Concordia will remember that it has a national tournament to prepare for. That was not on anyone’s radar just yet. Said Carley, “There’s no better way (to go out at home). I couldn’t have pictured it any differently. It’s amazing to come out and win at home. We got kind of lucky to host the entire tournament as a three seed. It’s just amazing.”
The Bulldogs made their sixth GPAC tournament title appearance in seven seasons. Under former head coach Greg Henson, Concordia won conference postseason championships in 2014 and 2016 and a GPAC regular-season title in 2017. With Friday’s result, the program got sweet revenge for last season’s 4-0 GPAC quarterfinal loss at Jamestown.
The NAIA national qualifiers, pairings and site assignments will be announced at 11 a.m. CT on Monday (April 12) via a live selection show. There are 10 possible NAIA Opening Round destinations for the Bulldogs. Those sites are listed HERE.
GPAC tourney champs assigned to Columbia, paired with No. 3 Keiser
April 12, 2021
NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Info
SEWARD, Neb. – Following a thrilling run to a GPAC tournament title, the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team learned of its national tournament draw on Monday (April 12) morning. The Bulldogs have been assigned to the Columbia Bracket and will play against third-ranked Keiser University (Fla.) on Thursday as part of the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round. Kickoff from Columbia, Mo., is set for 6 p.m. CT on Thursday.
Head Coach Thomas Goines, the coaching staff and student-athletes met in the Walz Conference Center on Monday to watch the live selection show. Concordia was tagged as a No. 4 seed while Keiser is the No. 1 seed in the Columbia Bracket.
Goines will lead the Bulldogs into the national tournament in his first season at the helm of the program. Concordia made previous appearances at the national tournament opening round in 2014 and 2016. The Bulldogs traveled to West Palm Beach, Fla., and played Keiser in 2016 (result was a 2-0 loss).
Concordia plans to depart on Tuesday evening, in route to Columbia, a drive of roughly five-and-a-half hours. The Bulldogs will take an overall record of 11-6-2 into play on Thursday. Their run through the GPAC tournament included a 2-1 win over Dakota Wesleyan, a PK shootout advancement over Midland and a 2-1 victory over Jamestown in the championship game.
Concordia will find itself in an underdog role while up against the Seahawks, the defending NAIA national champions. Keiser sports a 16-2-1 overall record and is a member of The Sun Conference. Head Coach Matt Dunn’s squad earned an at-large berth after falling in The Sun Conference tournament championship game to No. 2 Southeastern University (Fla.). Keiser has racked up 87 goals in 19 games.
Columbia College is the No. 2 seed in its own bracket. The Cougars will take on third-seeded Kansas Wesleyan University at 2 p.m. on Thursday. The Concordia/Keiser winner will go head-to-head with the Columbia/Kansas Wesleyan winner for a spot in the final site. The 10 winners that emerge from the opening rounds will advance to play in Foley, Ala., April 27 – May 3.
National Tournament Facts
· Concordia is 0-2 in its two previous trips to the opening round of the national tournament. While making their first-ever appearance at nationals, the 2014 Bulldogs were defeated by ninth-ranked Benedictine College (Kan.), 4-0. Two years later, Concordia ventured to Keiser and lost by a 2-0 score. The program remains in search of its first-ever national tournament win.
· Goalkeeper Lindsey Carley is the only player on the current team that was also on the roster in 2016 when the Bulldogs last reached the national tournament. Carley redshirted that season while then starting keeper Chrissy Lind finished her standout career. The Urbandale, Iowa, native then took over the keeper role in 2017 when Concordia won the GPAC regular season title and Carley was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. Unfortunately, the GPAC regular season title did not come with an automatic bid to nationals in 2017.
· Keiser is set to appear at the national tournament for the 15th time in its program’s history. The Seahawks are 22-13 all-time at the national championships. Head Coach Matt Dunn has guided Keiser to the national tournament in each of his 10 seasons at the helm of the program. Not only did the Seahawks win the 2019 national championship game, they also finished as the 2018 national runner up.
Game Preview: Concordia-Keiser to meet in Opening Round for second time
April 13, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – The last time the Concordia University Women’s Soccer program qualified for the national tournament, it went up against Keiser University (Fla.). The same two sides will get together on Thursday as part of the Columbia Bracket of the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round. The Bulldogs are the No. 4 seed in the bracket while the Seahawks garnered the No. 1 seed in Columbia. Keiser sports the No. 3 overall ranking in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
Opening Round Info
Concordia (11-6-2) vs. No. 3 Keiser (16-2-1)
Thursday, April 15 | 6 p.m. CT
R. Marvin Owens Field | Columbia, Mo.
Webcast: Columbia College Athletics ($9.99/game)
Live Stats: Dakstats
--Tickets: 2 guests per member of travel party (must be on the list submitted by each institution); cost is $5 for adults & students.
Fan policy: Only two guests per member of each travel party will be allowed inside the facility. Fans in attendance are required to wear masks.
By the numbers
· Head Coach Thomas Goines has led Concordia to a national tournament appearance in his first season at the helm of the program. The postseason path to an NAIA championships berth included a GPAC quarterfinal win over Dakota Wesleyan, 2-1, a PK shootout semifinal advancement past Midland (0-0 draw) and a 2-1 championship game win over Jamestown. Incredibly, the Bulldogs have advanced to the GPAC tournament final in six of the past seven seasons with championships celebrated in 2014, 2016 and 2020. The program also captured the GPAC regular season title in 2017.
· Concordia is getting set for the program’s third all-time appearance at the national tournament. In prior appearances, the Bulldogs fell at ninth-ranked Benedictine College (Kan.), 4-0, in 2014 and dropped a 2-0 decision at No. 3 Keiser in 2016. The head coach of Concordia for both of those national tournament trips was Greg Henson (now the head coach at NCAA Division II Ferris State University). The program continues to seek both its first win and first goal scored on the national stage.
· The starting goalkeeper for the national tournament games in 2014 and 2016 was Chrissy Lind, the school’s all-time record holder in shutouts (and a number of other categories). Current keeper Lindsey Carley is the only member of the active roster to have also been a part of the 2016 team. The Urbandale, Iowa, native redshirted the 2016 campaign and then took on a starting role beginning in 2017 when she was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. Carley has been in goal for all but roughly 50 minutes of this entire season.
· It will be a challenge to find the back of the net against a Keiser squad that has allowed just 13 goals in 19 games this season. Concordia has taken on a committee approach when it comes to goal scoring. There were four unique goal scorers during the GPAC postseason run: Callie McNary, Aliyah Aldama, Cheyenne Smith and Bethany Fuchs. A transfer from Western Nebraska Community College, Fuchs played the role of hero in the semifinals by drilling the clinching PK. She also earned credit for the game winning goal in the GPAC title game. Fuchs is one of nine Bulldogs with multiple goals for the season.
· Concordia is seeded 37th among the 40 national qualifiers. The Bulldogs have gone up against two other national qualifiers this season: they defeated 20th-ranked Briar Cliff, 1-0, and dropped a 1-0 decision at 24th-ranked Benedictine. The win over Briar Cliff ended the fall portion of the season. Concordia is a different team now. Five players (three starters) who saw action in that particular game have not played in the postseason. After three-straight losses leading up to the GPAC tournament, the Bulldogs have found a formula for success with a new-look lineup.
The opponent
As the No. 3 ranked team in the NAIA, Keiser has aspirations of another deep national tournament run. The Seahawks have qualified for the national tournament in all 10 seasons of Head Coach Matt Dunn’s tenure. He led the program to a 2019 NAIA national title and a 2018 national runner up claim. The program has been built with a strong international influence. The program’s roster currently includes 20 student-athletes from Sweden, two from Japan, two from Norway, one from Denmark, one from Germany, one from Iceland and one from Switzerland. Keiser has outscored its opponents by a combined total of 87-13 this season. The Seahawks boast a trio of double-digit goal scorers: Maja Lundman (12), Alicia Drott (12) and Maja Henriksson (10).
Columbia Bracket
Thursday, April 15
Game 1 – (2) Columbia College vs. (3) Kansas Wesleyan University, 2 p.m.
Game 2 – (1) Keiser University vs. (4) Concordia University, 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 17
Bracket Championship, 1 p.m.
Columbia College is one of 10 opening round sites in the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship. Columbia is seeded 15th overall while Kansas Wesleyan is seeded 28th. The champion of the Columbia Bracket will advance to the final site in Foley, Ala., where action will begin on April 27. More information about the championship can be found HERE.
Women’s soccer withdraws from national tournament due to COVID-19
April 15, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – Due to COVID-19 positives within the program, Concordia University Women’s Soccer has withdrawn from the 2020 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round. A decision was made by Concordia University leadership early Wednesday (April 14) morning to pull the team out of the national championship event. The decision was made with the health and safety of the student-athletes and staff as the primary concern.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad had earned an automatic bid to the national tournament by winning the GPAC postseason championship. Concordia has been rewarded with three national tournament bids in the history of the program. The season has come to a conclusion with the Bulldogs sporting an overall record of 11-6-2. Concordia had been scheduled to play third-ranked Keiser University (Fla.) at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday (April 15) as part of the Columbia (Mo.) Bracket in the NAIA Opening Round.
Season-In-Review: 2020-21 Concordia Women's Soccer
May 22, 2021
For so many reasons, the 2020-21 season of Concordia University Women’s Soccer will always stand out as a memorable one. Despite the challenges faced, and a new-look lineup that surfaced in the spring, it was the Bulldogs who celebrated with the GPAC postseason championship trophy and banner on the night of April 9. In year one as head coach, Thomas Goines had guided his squad to what would have seemed like an improbable GPAC championship run just a couple of weeks earlier.
It took most of the month of March, but Concordia found an identity as a gritty bunch that succeeded by outworking its opponents. In the 2-1 GPAC championship game win over Jamestown, the Bulldogs prevailed with the help of 13 saves by Lindsey Carley, one of the program’s all-time great keepers.
“The team just showed an immense amount of grit and toughness and the ability to fight through,” Goines said. “Jamestown is a very good team, especially in the attack. It took the entire group to defend them and keep them at bay for as long as we could. We’ve had a whole lot of adversity through COVID and the adjustments we’ve had to make. To have them put that amount of fight and effort in – it was just fun to watch.”
Thanks to the GPAC tourney title, the 2020-21 Concordia team locked up the program’s third national tournament bid. The campaign represented a fine bounce back from the 2019 season that ended with a 6-11-2 overall mark and a defeat in the GPAC tournament quarterfinals. For an outfit used to playing deep into the postseason, this was more like it. Back in the fall, the Bulldogs tied for second in the GPAC regular season (9-2-1), ending that portion of the schedule with a 1-0 victory over conference regular season champion Briar Cliff. Goines’ squad also picked up a 1-0 win over heated rival Hastings and made a mockery of Doane, 7-0.
Little did anyone know at the time, but five key performers from that win over Briar Cliff would not be part of the squad during any of the three rounds of the GPAC tournament. It made for a unique dynamic when action started back up in the spring. In spring regular season action, Concordia lost three games each by one-goal margins, at the hands of Southwestern (Kan.), Benedictine (Kan.) and Grand View (Iowa). Despite those results, the Bulldogs banded together for the postseason.
Said Carley following the GPAC championship game, “My sophomore and junior year we came so close, but we just couldn’t finish it out. To be able to come out and finish it in my last year is just amazing. I couldn’t ask for better teammates to have next to me … it took a moment to switch back on after having a gap from the fall. We had to rebuild and re-establish who we were. We were ready for the tournament.”
Nothing came easy in the GPAC tournament. Concordia got past Dakota Wesleyan, 2-1, in the quarterfinals, survived a PK shootout (eight rounds) with Midland in the semifinals and then held off Jamestown in the title game despite a significant disadvantage in the shot count. It was truly a team effort. Aliyah Aldama drilled a breathtaking game-winning goal to beat DWU before Bethany Fuchs emerged with the clinching PK versus Midland and earned credit for the game winner versus Jamestown.
Everything came together at the right time. As the No. 3 seed, the Bulldogs got the opportunity to host through the entire playoffs as upsets were rampant throughout the tournament. Then with a championship on the line, Carley came up with the type of performance that will go down in program lore.
“I don’t think you can say enough (about Carley’s performance),” Goines said. “I’ve only had the honor of working with her for this year. She put on a show. She had a penalty kick save that was just massive and a couple punches in crowds. It just showed her quality. You really can’t say enough about a senior who does that in such a big moment. She put the team on her back and pulled us over the finish line.”
Eight Bulldogs collected All-GPAC awards back in the fall: Mikeila Martinez (first team), Grace Soenksen (first team), Allee Downing (second team), Jaiden Beecher (honorable mention), Carley (honorable mention), Madeline Haugen (honorable mention), Cheyenne Smith (honorable mention) and Michaela Twito (honorable mention). Martinez paced the squad in both goals (seven) and assists (four) while Beecher and Smith added four goals apiece.
Unfortunately, Concordia did not get to experience the national tournament. As announced on April 15, the team withdrew from the opening round due to COVID-19 positives within the program. Due to those circumstances, the Bulldogs were held back from making the trip to Columbia, Mo., where they were slated to play Keiser (Fla.), the eventual national champion.
The abrupt ending aside, Concordia made lasting memories of a season unlike any other in the history of the program. For the graduates who are moving on, they will forever be able to tell people about how they ended their collegiate soccer careers by winning a GPAC championship. After a series of close spring defeats, the Bulldogs morphed into a side that found ways to gut out victories.
Said Goines, “It comes to a point where you develop your identity and know who you’re going to be – and just embrace it. We’ve gone through the process of trying to figure out who we are as far as skill level and intensity level. What was our brand going to be? We faced a lot of challenges this spring that brought us closer together. The girls looked at it and said, we’re going to challenge everyone and we’re not going to back off. That was an amazing switch they flipped. Each game in the playoffs was a much different type of game. We had about every match you could have in the three games. I’m just really proud of the team.”
Carley, Twito named to Academic All-District Team
June 3, 2021
Academic All-District Women’s Soccer Teams
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University Women’s Soccer standouts Lindsey Carley and Michaela Twito were both honored by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday (June 3). The pair of Bulldogs were named to the 2020-21 NAIA Academic All-District® 3 Women’s Soccer First Team. District 3 covers the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Women’s Soccer Teams, selected by CoSIDA, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes women's soccer honorees in four divisions — NAIA, NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III.
Carley completed her collegiate career this past season and rates as one of the top goalkeepers in the history of the program. On the school’s all-time lists, the Urbandale, Iowa, native ranks first in goals against average (0.913), second in shutouts (23), second in save percentage (.814), second in games played (73) and third in saves (297). Among her numerous honors, Carley was named GPAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and is a four-time all-conference performer (first team once, second team twice and honorable mention once). She also was named CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2018 and has been an NAIA Scholar-Athlete the past two years. In the final game of her career, Carley made 13 saves as the Bulldogs captured the GPAC tournament title, 2-1, over Jamestown. Carley earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Concordia while studying accounting and business administration.
An impact player from her arrival on campus, Twito has been a steadying influence in the midfield over the past four years. The native of Ames, Iowa, has appeared in 79 career games, totaling six goals (three game winners) and three assists. Twito has earned four career All-GPAC awards (one second team and three honorable mention accolades). Like Carley, Twito helped the Bulldogs to a GPAC regular season title in 2017 and then a conference tournament championship this past spring. Twito has earned high marks in the class room while studying Spanish and secondary education.
First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early July.
All-Time Concordia Women’s Soccer All-District Honorees
Lindsey Carley (2018, 2020)
Maria Deeter (2018)
Emily Fleming (2012)
Rachel Mussell (2012, 2013, 2014)
Melissa Stine (2014)
Michaela Twito (2020)
*Both Deeter (2018) and Mussell (2014) were recognized as CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
2021 Schedule Release: Concordia Women’s Soccer
June 4, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – A thrilling spring GPAC tournament championship run will lead into the 2021 season for Concordia University Women’s Soccer. Unveiled on Friday (June 4), the ’21 Bulldog schedule is now available to the public. The slate features 17 regular season matchups, including 12 within the conference. The new season is set to open up at home against Tabor College (Kan.) on Aug. 28.
This should be a more standard season for Concordia, which played in both the fall and spring this past season. In year one of his tenure, Head Coach Thomas Goines guided the Bulldogs to an overall record of 11-6-2 and a tie for second place in the GPAC regular season (9-2-1 league mark). They then proceeded to win three games during the conference tournament. The GPAC postseason title clinched an automatic bid to the opening round of the national tournament. Three Concordia standouts landed on either the All-GPAC first or second team: Mikeila Martinez (first team), Grace Soenksen (first team) and Allee Downing (second team).
In addition to Tabor, nonconference foes in 2021 will include Grand View University (Iowa), Benedictine College (Kan.), Southwestern College (Kan.) and Bellevue University. Four of the five nonconference games will be rematches from last season. Conference play will begin on Sept. 18 when Mount Marty visits Bulldog Stadium. Matchups versus in-state rivals are coming up Sept. 29 versus Midland and Oct. 16 at Hastings.
The conference tournament dates are set for Nov. 4 for the quarterfinals, Nov. 9 for the semifinals and Nov. 12 for the championship game. The NAIA National Championship Opening Round is slated for Nov. 18 and 20 with action at the final site (location to be announced) set to run from Nov. 30 – Dec. 6.
Carley selected as CoSIDA Academic All-American
July 8, 2021
2021 CoSIDA Women’s Soccer Academic All-Americans
SEWARD, Neb. – One of the program’s most decorated student-athletes of all-time, Lindsey Carley has added yet another award to her list of career accolades. The native of Urbandale, Iowa, has been chosen as a second team selection on the 2021 NAIA Academic All-America® Women’s Soccer Team. Honorees were announced on Thursday (July 8) by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The first and second teams are made up of 11 student-athletes apiece from around the nation.
The 2020-21 Academic All-America® Women’s Soccer Teams, selected by CoSIDA, honor the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes women’s soccer honorees in four divisions — NAIA, NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III.
Carley completed her collegiate career this past season and rates as one of the top goalkeepers in the history of the program. On the school’s all-time lists, she ranks first in goals against average (0.913), second in shutouts (23), second in save percentage (.814), second in games played (73) and third in saves (297). Among her numerous honors, Carley was named GPAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and is a four-time all-conference performer (first team once, second team twice and honorable mention once). She also was named CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2018 and has been an NAIA Scholar-Athlete the past two years. In the final game of her career, Carley made 13 saves as the Bulldogs captured the GPAC tournament title, 2-1, over Jamestown. Carley earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Concordia while studying accounting and business administration.
Carley joins Maria Deeter (2018) and Rachel Mussell (2014) as the third student-athlete in Concordia Women’s Soccer history to be named an Academic All-American.
All-Time Concordia Women’s Soccer All-District Honorees
Lindsey Carley (2018, 2020)
Maria Deeter (2018)
Emily Fleming (2012)
Rachel Mussell (2012, 2013, 2014)
Melissa Stine (2014)
Michaela Twito (2020)
*Carley (2020), Deeter (2018) and Mussell (2014) were recognized as CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.