Player of the Week: Brittany Chase (9/23-9/28)

Work Ethic=Hard Work

Brit Chase continues to impress this season.  Not only does Brit set up in game when it seems to count most, but she's figured out that working hard in practice pays off in bigger ways.  Her work ethic has been great throughout the season, but especially coming through this week in particular when subs at the forward position seemed to be in small supply.  Her hard work shows in how she carries herself and what she brings to the team.  For those reasons she's a respected and driven leader among the Gusties continually asking her teammates to hold themselves to a higher standard day after day, practice after practice, game after game.  They know Brit is giving it her all, so they will do the same for her.

Her hard work culminated in a tremendous showing against No. 21 ranked College of Saint Benedict's.  Consistently pressing the back line and combining with her teammates, she helped the Gusties create some powerful and dynamic offensive attacks.  She's smart off the ball, cheeky on the ball and has tremendous vision.  She pushed herself past her limits, and showed what it means when Coach LBK says, "you're only 20% tired".

Congratulations Brit!

No. 21 College of Saint Benedict Puts Gusties Back at .500

Gusties Drop Hard Fought Battle with St. Ben's 2-0

With a strong start, the Gusties felt in control of the game from the very beginning.  Straight off the kickoff, the Golden Gusties put pressure on St. Benedict's defense.  For the first ten minutes, the Gusties maintained possession and moved the ball.  The Gustie Tempo started to pick up and Gustavus continued to press.

A counter and some pressure by St. Benedict's caused the Gusties to give up a corner kick.  After unable to clear the first and second corner attempts, Gustavus fell susceptible to how dangerous the Blazer's were in air and they put in a header goal off the corner.  Gustavs continued to pressure throughout the remainder of the half, creating a few more opportunities.

The second half both teams came out strong and ready to fight.  That was what the game continued to be throughout.  Outshooting the Blazers in the first and last fifteen minutes of the half, the second goal by St. Benedict's proved to be the final one of the game.  There was continual fight and resiliency in Gusties throughout the match, never once sucomming to the national ranking that sits before St. Benedict's name.

The Gusties return to action on Wednesday, October 2nd to face MIAC opponent St. Mary's for a 4:00pm contest.

Box Score

Photo Gallery 

Women’s Soccer Falls To No. 21 Saint Benedict 2-0

Posted on September 28th, 2013 by Tyler Grey

Senior Emily Papagapitos battles for possession with Saint Benedict's Colleen Bouchard. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Williams '16)

St. Peter, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team fell at the hands of No. 21 Saint Benedict by the final score of 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Gustie Soccer Field.  The Gusties battled the Blazers all the way, but could not connect on any of their four shots on net to allow Saint Benedict the two-goal victory.  Gustavus drops to 4-4-0 (0-3-0 MIAC), while Saint Ben’s improves to 7-0-1 (3-0-0 MIAC).

“We played really well today,” said Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie.  “The biggest difference in the game was that their shots were on net and ours weren’t.  I am really happy with how we played.  I think today was our best game so far this season.  We moved the ball well, we switched it up, everyone did their role, and we saw things that we had been working on all week in practice implemented into the game.”

Gustavus was strong out of the gate, both creating opportunities offensively and locking down Saint Ben’s defensively.  The Gusties outshot the Blazers 3-0 in the opening 15 minutes and did not allow a Blazer shot until the 22nd minute.

“We came out and set the tone early defensively,” mentioned Burnett-Kurie.  “In the first 10 minutes of the game, they didn’t have the ball in our half very much.  We kept possession in their half really well to start the game, which gave us some confidence going forward.”

After dodging five corner kicks that led to dangerous scoring opportunities for Saint Benedict, the Gusties could not avoid the sixth dangerous corner as Grace Vaughan finished off the corner kick with a header goal at the 32:24 mark.  Vaughan’s fifth goal of the season put the Blazers on top 1-0 heading into halftime.

Gustavus came out strong once again in the second half.  The Gusties outshot Saint Ben’s 2-1 in the first 15 minutes of the final frame, but the Blazers made good on their second scoring opportunity of the half when Colleen Bouchard planted one in the back of the net to extend the Blazer lead to 2-0.

The Gusties got a shot on net late in the contest, but could do no damage as the final seconds disappeared into a Saint Benedict two-goal win.  Caroline Olson (Jr., York, Pa.) suffered the loss and drops to 4-4-0 on the season, while Heather Kaluzniak completed her fourth shutout of the season and improves to 6-0-1.

“It was a battle all afternoon,” continued Burnett-Kurie.  “They are a very strong team, but we played really well and hung right in there with them.  I’m proud of how our girls played today.”

The Gusties will be back in action on Wednesday, Oct. 2nd when they host Saint Mary’s for a 4:00 p.m. match in St. Peter.

Box Score

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YUWA Fundraiser

Saturday’s match also served as a fundraiser for YUWA, a nationally-based non-profit organization reaching out to girls in rural India, specifically Jharkland.  Through team sports, YUWA provides a platform for young women to gain confidence and make a change in their world.  Fans were invited to give donations throughout the game, enter a raffle for a signed women’s soccer practice jersey, and later participate in a silent auction held at Lone Star BBQ and Grill.

“Our YUWA fundraiser turned out great,” said Burnett-Kurie.  “We raised a lot of money with our raffle during the game.  We had a lot of support down at Lone Star, who did a great job for us.  We were close to double the amount of people bidding on silent auction items.  Credit to our players, they did a great job of going out and soliciting items from local businesses.  The support was awesome.”

Gustavus Back to Winning Ways

Gusties Gain 1-0 Non-Conference Win Over Crown College

It was a barrage of offense on Wednesday afternoon as the Gusties took command of the game early and eventually put 34 shots on net.  In the first half it was a pass from Estee Berg that finally broke Amanda Cartony through for what would prove to be the game's only goal.  

The Gusties would continue to press, putting up 17 corner kicks total.  The creativity was flowing from the Gusties, but Crown's keeper proved up to the task.  She thwarted numerous offensive attacks and breakaways that kept the score so tight.

With the Gusties back over .500 and back to winning they look forward to face conference opponent St. Benedict's College on Saturday for Gustavus' Homecoming and the Women's Soccer team's 2nd Annual Yuwa Fundraising Event.  Kickoff set for 1:00 p.m.

Women’s Soccer Shuts Out Crown 1-0

Posted on September 25th, 2013 by Tyler Grey

Amanda Cartony battles Crown defender Sabrina Holley in Wednesday's win. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Vold `15)

St. Peter, Minn. – After suffering consecutive losses last week, the Gustavus women’s soccer team got back on track with a 1-0 shutout over Crown College on Wednesday at the Gustie Soccer Field.  Amanda Cartony (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.)scored her fourth goal of the season at the 23:48 mark to give the Gusties all they would need to come away with the one-goal victory.  Gustavus improves to 4-3-0 on the year, while Crown drops to 2-3-1.

Gustavus wasted no time establishing itself as the aggressor on the offensive end, firing two shots on goal in the first :30 seconds of the match.  The Gusties would go on to outshoot the Storm 23-0 in the first half and 11-1 in the second for a shot advantage of 34-1 for the day.

“We moved the ball well and created a lot of opportunities right from the get-go,” stated Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie.  “Usually it takes us a little time to feel the game out, but we were putting shots on net from the very beginning today.  It was great to see all of the opportunities we had offensively, the Crown goalkeeper just came up with a bunch of big saves.”

Anna Basil fights for possession.

Amanda Cartony put the Gusties on the scoreboard in the 24th minute when she scored her fourth goal of the season.  Estee Berg (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) sent a pass through two Storm defenders into the box to a streaking Cartony, who took a touch and fired the shot left-footed past a diving Emily Kirby to put the Gusties in front 1-0.  The goal was Cartony’s 23rd of her career, moving her into a tie for 10th place on the women’s soccer all-time career goals scored list at Gustavus.

“It’s really exciting and I’m honored to be on the top 10 list,” admitted a sheepish Cartony of her accomplishment.  “I just really want to thank my teammates for helping me get there.”

Although opportunities abounded, the Gusties could not crack Crown goalkeeper Emily Kirby for the remainder of the half and took the one-goal lead into halftime.  It was more of the same in the second half as Gustavus held a 10-shot advantage in the final frame.  However the Gusties could not capitalize on those 10 shots and settled for the one-goal victory.

Gustavus goalkeeper Caroline Olson (Jr., York, Pa.) only needed to make one save in the match on the way to her fourth win of the season in goal.  With the win, Olson improves to 4-3-0 on the year.  Crown goalkeeper Emily Kirby weathered 34 shots to make 17 saves and only allow one goal in the loss.

“It felt great to come out and play well today,” said Cartony.  “I think we had a lot of good ball movement and we created dangerous shots.  The scoreboard really doesn’t show how well we played because it was only 1-0, but it was still a lot of fun.”

The Gusties will be back in action on Saturday when they host Saint Benedict at the Gustie Soccer Field in the second annual “Kicking For A Cause” match.  Saturday’s match is set for a 1:00 p.m. start.

“We have to do the little things,” finished Burnett-Kurie.  “We are playing the right way and we can create a lot of dangerous opportunities.  Now we just have to continue to work on the little things.  That is going to be our focus for the next couple of days heading into Saturday against Saint Ben’s.”

Box Score

Photo Gallery

2nd Annual Yuwa Charity Game!

We are happy to announce the Gustavus Adolphus Women's Soccer Program will be hosting its SECOND Annual "Kicking for a Cause"  game on Saturday, September 28th in conjunction with the team's conference match-up against St. Benedict's at 1:00pm on the Gustie Soccer Field.  The "Kicking for a Cause" game supports Yuwa, a Minnesota based non-profit organization that uses team sport to empower young women in rural India.  We hope you will make it out to support our team and this wonderful charity!!

Upon entry, fans will have the opportunity to make a "suggested entry donation," along with purchase raffle tickets for a signed practice jersey to be raffled off at the end of regulation.  The Gusties will also welcome the under-12 girls' team of the St. Peter Soccer Club, which is headed by Steve Carlson, as ball-girls and for an inter-squad scrimmage during halftime at the Gustie Soccer Field.  After the game, starting at 3:30pm, there will be a gathering down at Lone Star BBQ with a silent auction and specials.  All proceeds will benefit Yuwa.  

We would love for you to attend the game and support Yuwa.  We would appreciate it if you could please spread this along to any of your friends, family and current players.  We hope to see you on Saturday!

More information on Yuwa:

 "Yuwa brings girls out of isolation and into a positive team environment. Daily practice and a team platform give us access to large numbers of at-risk girls, and a girl with confidence can rewrite the script others have prepared for her." Yuwa is fighting to make a difference by breaking the negative cycle that has been created for the young women of India.  "When a girl organizes or joins a Yuwa team, through positive peer pressure she becomes a more regular student—players elect team captains, who keep track of school attendance, and many girls attend daily study sessions at Yuwa Club. She pays attention to her own health and to the health of her teammates, and gets access to information about her body through weekly adolescent health classes with her teammates. She marries when she chooses—on Yuwa's first team, not a single girl has gotten married below the age of 18, even though several of their older sisters had been married off at age 15. She will raise a healthy family. The cycle continues." -yuwa-india.org

COME SUPPORT YOUR GUSTIES AND YUWA!!

Player Of The Week: Karlye Smith (9/16-9/21)

"Bone Crunching" Tackles

Known for her fierce defense and aggressive play in the back line, Karlye Smith is usually a force to be reckoned with... this week she stepped up to a new level and made an impact and impression on each opponent the Gusties faced.

Whether organizing her back line, or stepping up to put pressure on the forward's back and not letting her turn, Karlye has been at the top of her game all week.  Working tirelessly to not let the ball get through, she was consistent out of the air, and deadly in every tackle.  She plays hard and with her heart on her sleeve, laying it all on the line for the Gusties and her teammates.

Congratulations on Player of the Week Karlye!!

Concordia Bests Gustavus

On The Road, Gusties Lose Battle

The Gusties travelled up to Moorhead, MN this weekend for a tough conference matchup against Concordia.  The Cobbers got on the scoreboard early off a throw that allowed the Cobbers midfield to turn and fire a shot far post.  The ball hit off the far post and bounced to the opposite side netting.  A bit of a shock to the defense of the Gusties as they were playing strong, the stepped it up even more and began to start pressing.  Trying to build out of the back, the Gusties moved the ball around the pitch, and stood strong on defense.

A dangerous counter by the Cobbers would prove costly, as a cross came through the box and found and open Cobber on the 6 yard box who put the ball in the net for their second goal of the game.

The Gusties came out even stronger in the second half mounting some dangerous attacks on the Cobbers defense.  The Gusties defense stood strong, led by Junior Karlye Smith who continually laid crushing tackles on Concordia's offense and midfield.  She took the physical nature of the Gusties opponent and gave it right back to them.

It was a tough 2-0 loss, but the Gusties look ahead to non-conference Crown College on Wednesday.

Women’s Soccer Falls 2-0 To Concordia

Posted on September 21st, 2013 by Tyler Grey

Junior defender Karlye Smith

Moorhead, Minn. - The Gustavus Adolphus women’s soccer team fell at the hands of Concordia College by the final score of 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Jake Christiansen Athletic Complex.  The Cobbers got on the board early with a goal just four minutes into the match and carried that momentum to the 2-0 decision.  With the loss, Gustavus drops to 3-3-0 (0-2-0 MIAC) on the year, while Concordia improves to 5-2-0 (2-0-0 MIAC).

It took all of four minutes for the Cobbers to score the match’s opening goal to take a 1-0 lead.  Emily Wendorf scored her third goal of the season on Concordia’s first shot of the match as she was able to wriggle free and fire a shot from outside the 18-yard line.  The drive banked off the back post and into the back of the net to put the Cobbers on top 1-0 in the early going.

“They came out strong and the pressed in the beginning,” stated Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie.  ”On the early goal, we had been playing pretty well defensively, so it was a little bit of a shock to the system when they scored so early.  It was just a great shot from outside of 18 yards that bounced off the post that really tucked its way in on the opposite side.”

It was Wendorf again scoring a goal in the 32nd minute to put Concordia in front 2-0.  This time, Wendorf capitalized on a cross in front of the net that she buried for her second goal of the match and fourth of the season.  The Cobbers would take the two-goal lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Gusties were able to create dangerous opportunities on the offensive end, but could not put one across as the Cobbers coasted to 2-0 win.

“I think we made some good pushes forward in the first half,” mentioned Burnett-Kurie.  ”We weren’t moving the ball like we wanted, but were still able to create some chances.  In the second half, the game started to open up and we were able to create more dangerous opportunities.  We right there tapping on the door, but just couldn’t get one to go.”

Heartbreaker

Gusties Fall 2-1 to Carleton in Final Minute

It was a tough fought battle this afternoon on the Gustie Soccer Field.  With MIAC league play opening, the Gusties were trying to keep their winning streak alive.  Despite the all around effort that would not be the case.

The Gusties went down early in the 1st in the 11th minute, but the Gusties never let down.  The ladies tried tirelessly to press forward and create some offense putting constant pressure on the ball immediately and forcing Carleton into turnovers.

The second half, a shrewd coaching move allowed to Gusties to outplay the Knights for long stretches of time when we held the ball in the Knights end pressing goal.  It would be Amanda Cartony to get the Gusties on the scoreboard late in the second with just over 10 minutes to play.  The Gusties dug their heels in and battled hard.  A late call set Carleton up for a direct kick outside the 18 yard box.  The rebound off the kick fell at the feet of one of the Knights and she was able to pass it into the back of the net to put the Knights on top with 36 seconds left.   The Gusties attempted a quick rally, but the buzzer beat them to it.

Gustavus travels up to Concordia on Saturday, September 21st for a 1:00 pm kickoff.

Late Carleton Goal Sinks Women’s Soccer 2-1

Posted on September 18th, 2013 by Tyler Grey

Amanda Cartony scored her third goal of the season in Wednesday's loss.

St. Peter, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus women’s soccer team opened Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play with a 2-1 loss to Carleton on Wednesday at the Gustie Soccer Field.  Trailing 1-0 late in the second half, the Gusties came back to tie the score with just over six minutes left in regulation.  However, the Knights went on to score what would prove to be the game-winner with just :34 remaining to capture the 2-1 win.  Gustavus drops to 3-2-0 overall and 0-1-0 in the MIAC, while Carleton improves to 2-3-1 overall and 1-0-0 in the MIAC.

The Knights got out to an early 1-0 lead in the 11th minute when Ellie Wilson scored from the right wing.  Wilson blasted a shot that went off the hands of Gustavus goalkeeper Caroline Olson (Jr., York, Pa.) and into the back of the net.  It was Wilson’s second goal of the season.

Carleton would hold the Gustie offense in check for the remainder of the opening 45 minutes and take the 1-0 lead to halftime.  The Knights outshot the Gusties 15-4 in the first half on their way to a 24-8 advantage for the match.

“We knew it was going to be tough,” admitted Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie.  “Carleton is a great team, and the first conference game is always the toughest because everyone wants to get out to a good start.  We got down early, but we were able to keep playing our style of soccer, which was good to see.”

Gustavus came back to tie the score with 6:05 remaining in regulation.  Amanda Cartony (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) got behind the Carleton defense and took advantage of a one-on-one opportunity with Carleton goaltender Mikayla Coulombe.  Cartony buried the ball in the back of the net to bring the score to 1-1, but all momentum gained by the goal would soon be extinguished when the Knights scored what would be the game-winner with just :34 left.  Following a direct kick, Arielle Koshkin fired a shot that was originally saved by Caroline Olson, but Amanda Owensby found herself in the right place, at the right time for the rebound.  Owensby put it away to lift Carleton to the 2-1 victory.

“It’s tough to swallow when you loose with :34 left, but the season is still young,” closed Burnett-Kurie.  “We still have a lot to look forward to this season.  After a loss like this, the biggest thing keeping your confidence up and believing that you can win games.”

The Gusties will take to the road on Saturday when they travel to Moorhead, Minn. for an MIAC showdown with Concordia.  Kick off for that match is set for 1:00 p.m.

Box Score

Photo Gallery

Player of the Week: Valerie Belanger (9/9-9/15)

THE Header Goal

It wasn’t just a tap in, or a simple pass to the back of the net.  No, that simply would not do for junior Valerie Belanger’s first career goal.  It had to be something spectacular, something magnificent, it had to fit Val… and boy did it ever.

Val is consistently one of those players in the right place at the right time in practice.  Particularly on the back post as a cross or a corner comes into the box.  Time and time again she’s there.  The ball will skim her forehead, or drop just short, or go a hair too high.  But she’s there, ready for the ball that comes in and doesn’t drop too soon, or change direction when a defender gets to it first. 

That ball came in across the box on a cross from the right side by Maddison Ackiss on Wednesday, September 11^th in the Gusties game versus Martin Luther College, and there was Val, on the back post, in the right spot, where she always is in practice.  The ball came in and cleared all the defenders and the goalkeeper, and Val locked in jumped and connected on a FANTASTIC header.  Boom!  Ball in the back of the net and Val had scored her first career goal in style, with swag, with character, with perseverance and persistence. 

A consummate hard worker and advocate for her teammate through her cheering and enthusiasm, Val is a crucial element of the Gustie team.  The elation that surrounded Val from her teammates, coaches and fans was characteristic of all Val gives to this program on a daily basis, and with that goal, she more than made a lasting mark and set the bar high for fantastic goals for the 2013.  Congratulations on your first career goal Val, as well as being named Player of the Week!

Gusties Gain Third Consecutive Win

6-2 Win Over Martin Luther Pushes Overall Record to 3-1

Gustavus cruised to their third victory yesterday afternoon as the offense took off once again putting up six goals in 90 minutes.  While the speed of play was not quite up to the Gustie Tempo, the ladies in black and gold still found a way to win.

It was sophomore Brittany Chase who scored first, putting in a great first goal for the Gusties and breaking the 0-0 tie in the 10th minute.  Brit Chase would score again in the second half for her first two goals of the season.  With Maddison Ackiss continuing her streak, she again got on the scoreboard for Gusties notching two goals and one assist.  Freshman Coursey Edwards also contributed on the scoreboard, scoring a rocket from just inside the 18 yard box.  It was the master distributer Amanda Cartony recording three assists on the afternoon that really got the creative juices flowing for Gustavus.  While there were moments where we struggled to connect on the final finish, Cartony's movement on the ball and the ball movement off of her were brilliant at times.

Putting the cherry on the sundae was junior Valerie Belanger who scored a magnificent header goal off a Maddison Ackiss cross for her first career goal!  It was a picture perfect play and a baller header!!

Gustavus has a week off from competition until they take on their first MIAC opponent.  The Gusties will face off next Wednesday, September 18th vs. Carleton on their home Gustie Soccer Field.

Women’s Soccer Wins Third Straight 6-2 Over Martin Luther

Posted on September 11th, 2013 by Tyler Grey

Brittany Chase scored twice in Wednesday’s 6-2 win over Martin Luther.

New Ulm, Minn. - The Gustavus women’s soccer team won its third consecutive match on Wednesday afternoon when it defeated Martin Luther College by the final score of 6-2.  First-year Maddsion Ackiss (Fairbanks, Alaska) continued to produce for the Gustie offense, scoring in her third straight match.  Ackiss notched two goals and an assist for a total of five points.  Brittany Chase (So., Victoria, Minn.) also scored twice, her first two goals of the season, while Amanda Cartony (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) recorded three assists on the day.  Gustavus improves to 3-1-0, while Martin Luther drops to 2-2-0 on the year.

“We didn’t play the greatest today,” mentioned Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie of her team’s performance.  ”But it was good to see that even when we don’t play the best we can still find a way to win.”

Gustavus jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first half.  Brittany Chase scored her first goal of the season at the 10:12 mark with an assist from Emily Papagapitos (Sr., Maplewood, Minn.) to put the Gusties on top 1-0.  Coursey Edwards (Fy., Eden Prairie, Minn.) then extended the lead to 2-0 on her second goal of the season.  She was assisted by Amanda Cartony’s first assist of the afternoon.  Maddison Ackiss followed with her third goal of the season on another assist from Cartony in the 39th minute to give Gustavus a 3-0 lead heading to halftime.

“We started to open the game up a little bit more in the second half.  We made some good adjustments and created more dangerous opportunities, but we just couldn’t put them away,” said Burnett-Kurie of the final 45 minutes.

Martin Luther took advantage of Gustavus’ lack of ability to score with two goals in the opening four minutes of the second frame.  Jenna Maurer scored back-to-back goals in a one-minute span to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Gusties responded with two goals of their own in the 55th and 56th minute to regain their footing.

Brittany Chase scored her second goal of the match after getting her own rebound and putting it in the back of the net to push the Gustie lead to 4-2 in the 55th minute.  Ackiss followed less than one minute later with her second goal of the day on Cartony’s third assist in the contest before Valerie Belanger (Jr., Zimmerman, Minn.) scored the first goal of her career to push the score to 6-2, which is where it would stay for the remainder of the afternoon.

Caroline Olson (Jr., York, Pa.) registered the win in net for the Gusties.  With the win, Olson improves to 3-1-0 on the year.  Keely Keese was given the loss for Martin Luther.

Gustavus will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 18th when it plays host to Carleton College in the first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) match of the season.  That match is set for a 4:00 p.m. kick off.

Box Score

Team Bonding: Gustie Style

What We Do, We Do With FLARE

Just incase you had any doubt about the closeness of this team here are a few videos and images from our various team building sessions we've done so far this season!  We like to have fun, and do it with flare!  So far some of our exercises have included Blind Dodgeball, as sophomore Anna Basil will tell you "probably the funniest thing you've ever seen" and Partner Balloon Popping, an exercise we may or may not have "borrowed" from the 1999 US Women's National Team (have you checked out the awesome ESPN documentary on them yet?  The 99ers... it's great!!)

Be sure to watch some (or all!) of the videos!

Blind Dodgeball in the Gustavus Gymnastics room:

Partner Balloon Popping outside the Senior's house:

Everything Gustie Women's Soccer does, we do with FLARE!

Player of the Week: Caroline Olson

Goalkeeper with Grit

Junior Goalkeeper Caroline Olson is the Gustavus Women's Soccer Player of the Week.  With two wins under her belt, and her first collegiate shutout, she earned it!

In Monday's game vs. UW Stout she was able to hold off a comeback from Stout with 8 saves to help the Gusties to their first win of the season!  Then it was UW La Crosse this past Saturday who surely felt her presence as she made 7 saves and collected anything that came in her box.  She took control early and led her defense to the Gusties first shutout since October 3, 2012.

A fantastic first week for the Gusties, and especially for Caroline, as she stayed mentally tough and strong through the heat to withstand UW La Crosse's attack.  She these wins helped her to prove she's a formidable opponent and competitor.

Congratulations Caroline!  Keep up the good work!

Hot Win in La Crosse

Gusties Grit Out 1-0 Win on Saturday

The Gustavus Women's Soccer team earned a hard fought win against UW La Crosse this past Saturday.  In a hard fought battle of wills between the two teams it was in fact the heat which proved to be the most worthy opponent.

After a slow start in which La Crosse pressed the Gusties back line and tested goalkeeper Caroline Olson early, but both proved up the the task.  Once the Gusties finally gained some momentum and were able to move the ball, playing the Gustie Tempo things began to break open a bit.  It was Amanda Cartony who found Maddison Ackiss all alone up top to get the Gusties on the scoreboard.  Ackiss would take a few touches and put away a beautiful shot that hit off the far post and into the back of the net for the Gusties lone goal of the game.

The Gusties would mount a few more powerful attacks in the first half, with La Crosse doing the same, but both goalkeepers were up to the task.  It was clear at half time that the heat was draining on the team, but the entire team was resilient and battled through.  

The second half was a defensive battle for the Gusties, gritting their teeth and working hard as La Crosse continued to press.  Maddison Ackiss even cleared the ball off the line after a corner kick that had gone past goalkeeper Caroline Olson.  She scores goals and saves them!  The Gusties were able to mount a few more offensive attacks and hold the ball in La Crosse's end a bit, especially in the waning minutes of the game.  A true testament to the team, it was a battle!

Our outside backs Leah Brossoit and Estee Berg proved how mentally tough they were lasting the entire game with a "Feels Like" heat at the end of the game hitting 100 degrees.   As Coach would say, "be a big dog" and we definitely had a team full of very big dogs on Saturday!

The Gusties now look ahead to their game at Martin Luther on Wednesday.

Ackiss Lifts Women’s Soccer To 1-0 Win Over UW-La Crosse

Posted on September 7th, 2013 by Tyler Grey

First-year Maddison Ackiss (Fairbanks, Alaska) scored the contest's lone goal.

La Crosse, Wis. – In her first collegiate start, Maddison Ackiss (Fy., Fairbanks, Alaska) scored her second goal of the season midway through the first half of Saturday’s women’s soccer match to lift the Gusties to a narrow 1-0 victory over UW-La Crosse.  The win is Gustavus’ second in a row and lifts the Gusties to a record of 2-1-0 on the season.  Meanwhile, the Eagles drop to 1-2-0 on the year.

After recording three points (1G, 1A) in Monday’s win over UW-Stout, first-year forward Maddison Ackiss kept her offense going with a goal in the 20th minute on Saturday to give the Gusties all the breathing room they would need in the 1-0 victory.  Amanda Cartony (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) set the play up by crossing the ball in front to Ackiss, who finished off the left post to score the match’s only goal.

“We came out and played well to start the match,” stated head coach Laura Burnett-Kurie.  ”We had great ball movement and that’s really what led to the goal.  We broke down the right side where Amanda Cartony took advantage of a defense that was over shifted ball-side and found Maddi on the back side.  She took a couple of touches and did a fantastic job of finishing off the post and in.”

After leading in the shots category 11-10 at halftime, Gustavus was outshot 12-3 after the intermission.  Even with the disadvantage, the Gusties held the Eagles scoreless in the final 45 minutes and recorded their first shutout since October 3rd of last season when they defeated Hamline 1-0.

“Our back line and our goalkeeper came to play today,” mentioned Burnett-Kurie of her team’s defense.  ”Our two outside backs, Estee Berg (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) and Leah Brossoit (Sr., Rochester, Minn.), played the whole game and really stepped up when we needed to make a play.  Caroline also played really well in net.  It was great to see her get her first shutout.”

For the game, UW-La Crosse held the advantage in shots (22-14) and corner kicks (11-0), but Gustavus goalkeeperCaroline Olson (Jr., York, Pa.) was up to the challenge, making seven saves on the afternoon in the first shutout of her collegiate career.  Olson played all 90 minutes in net to receive the win and improve her record to 2-1-0 on the year while UW-La Crosse Goalkeeper Ashley Tracy suffered the loss.

“It was great to see the leadership that we have step up today,” finished coach Burnett-Kurie.  ”Today was our first test this season having to really grit out a win. We showed that we not only had the guts and guile to do so, but also the mental toughness it takes to play a full 90 minutes.”

The Gusties will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 11th when they travel to nearby New Ulm to take on Martin Luther College at 3:00 p.m.

Box Score

First Win of the Season

Gusties Rally Back to Gain 4-2 Win of UW Stout

Maddison Ackiss scores her first collegiate goal

The ladies in black and gold came out flying today playing with "Gustie Tempo", moving the ball across the field in one or two touches.  It was clear the team had something to prove about themselves and about their level of play.

The chances started early and often, forcing Stout's keeper to make a few high saves, and then a quick reaction save to her own defenders' deflection to keep the score knotted at zeros.  It wasn't until the 38th minute Maddison Ackiss broke free on excellent through ball from fellow Freshman Jana Elliot, and calmly put the ball in the back of the net.  The Gusties scored their first goal of the year and took their first lead into half.

Coursey Edwards beats a Stout defender

It didn't take long for the Gusties to get rolling again as Senior Amanda Cartony found the back of the net on a header off a superb corner kick from her classmate Leah Brossoit.  Despite keeping the ball, and much of the momentum, Stout had a few opportunities that proved dangerous, especially when they were awarded and capitalized on a penalty kick.  With the goal, Stout kept pressing and was able score again off the rebound on a free kick to knot the score 2's.

Liz Underwood chases down a ball

The Gusties dug deep though and found it in themselves to rally.  Pressing forward with numbers and crisp ball movement, Sophomore Brittany Chase drove down the field and then pulled it back and passed it to the center of the field for Maddi who collected the ball and quickly swung it across far side for a streaking Cartony.  Cartony beat the keeper with her shot for her second goal of the game and the season.  But the Gusties weren't done yet!  Their success continued when they continued to press their opponents, so press they did.  This time it was Freshman Coursey Edwards calmly put a well placed ball in the back of the net off a pass from her classmate Jana.

The Gusties would hold on the final few minutes for their first win of the season!

Women’s Soccer Picks Up First Win Of Season 4-2 Over UW-Stout

Posted on September 2nd, 2013 by Tyler Grey

Amanda Cartony (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) scored twice in Monday's 4-2 win over UW-Stout.

St. Peter, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus women’s soccer team picked up its first win of the 2013 season when it defeated UW-Stout 4-2 at the Gustie Soccer Field on Monday.  After taking a 2-0 lead just over two minutes into the second half, the Blue Devils came back to tie the game, but the Gusties responded with two goals in the final 10 minutes to capture the 4-2 win.  Gustavus improves to 1-1-0 on the season while UW-Stout falls to 1-1-0.

“I think we came into today with a little more confidence,” mentioned head coach Laura Burnett-Kurie.  “We knew that when we played well on Friday we could move the ball well, so having that confidence helped us coming into the game.  We moved the ball from the start and by doing that we were able to create a lot of dangerous opportunities.”

First-year Maddison Ackiss (Fairbanks, Alaska) got the Gustie offense going in the 38th minute of play with the first goal of her collegiate career.  The forward took the ball up the left side, outrunning a UW-Stout defender and leaving nothing but the UW-Stout goalkeeper Robbie Shelby between the ball and the back of the net.  Ackiss punched a shot past a charging Shelby to put Gustavus on top 1-0 in the early going.

“We had a good combination of energy and movement to start with,” said Ackiss.  “We had good possession from the start and I think that just carried on throughout the game.”

Maddison Ackiss and Amanda Cartony celebrate after a goal.

Gustavus would take the 1-0 lead to halftime, only to score 2:25 into the second half.  This time, it was Amanda Cartony (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) who found herself on the end of a corner kick from Leah Brossoit (Sr., Rochester, Minn.).  Cartony sent a header into the back of the net to extend the Gustie lead to 2-0.

However, any momentum gained by the pair of Gustavus goals was negated by UW-Stout, who came back with two unanswered goals to tie the score in the 77th minute.  The first goal unveiled itself in the 60th minute when Alix Hyduke was awarded a penalty kick after being fouled inside the box.  Hyduke made good on her penalty kick to pull the Blue Devils within one (2-1).  UW-Stout scored again in the 77th minute when Kelly Conn cleaned up a rebound in front of the goal and put it away for her second goal of the season.  With the score now tied 2-2 and the momentum in favor of UW-Stout, the Gusties came back with a push of their own.

“After Stout did a good job of coming back and tying the game up, some of our leaders stepped up,” remarked Burnett-Kurie.  “We were able to find ourselves and you really saw the players who pushed forward and got us going again.”

In the 82nd minute, Brittany Chase (So., Chanhassen, Minn.) brought the ball up the right side and centered it in front of the net to Maddison Ackiss.  A quick touch from Ackiss directed the ball to the back post where Amanda Cartony found herself all alone.  Cartony put it away for her second goal of the game and the Gusties had the lead once more with the score 3-2.

Coursey Edwards (Fy., Eden Prairie, Minn.) tacked on an insurance goal for Gustavus in the 88th minute when she received a pass from Jana Elliott (Fy., Eagan, Minn.) on the back post.  Edwards did not let an open net go to waste, burying the ball in the back of the net to put the final exclamation point on the 4-2 win.

Caroline Olson (Jr., York, Pa.) recorded the win between the posts for the Gusties while Paige Meyer suffered the loss for UW-Stout.

Gustavus will return to the pitch on Saturday, Sept. 7th when it travels to La Crosse, Wis. to take on UW-La Crosse.  That match is set for a 2:00 p.m. kick off.

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Box Score