Battling in MIAC Play

This past weekend we played St. Kates in the battle of a lifetime. The first half was full of high intensity soccer with some great passing and chances toward goal! Every time we play at St. Kates, Ashley Becker always comes up BIG TIME with fantastic saves. This game was no different. Best keeper in the MIAC!!! Although we were unable to equalize in the second half, we saw some great moments of dangerous attack throughout the game. We are looking forward to taking on Augsburg this Wednesday!

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team Saturday afternoon lost 1-0 at St. Catherine, dropping to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the MIAC.

The Wildcats scored in the 28th minute and that was the lone goal of the day. The home team outshot the Gusties 14-8 throughout the game.
“The first half was an exciting 45 minutes of soccer,” Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie said. “We fell into some periods of great rhythm and created some dangerous attacks, especially late in the first. The second half didn’t have as much rhythm and St. Kate’s did a good job of stifling our attack. We came alive for the last six, but there wasn’t enough time for us to find the back of the net. MIAC play just started so we have a lot of games left. Our focus is now on Augsburg this Wednesday.”

Ashley Becker (Sr., Farmington) made seven saves in a complete game effort.

Gustavus travels to Augsburg Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Another Outstanding Win!

Last week we took down Northwestern! It was a great game full of many goal scoring opportunities. The fantastic Rachel Rehnelt and Abby Mullenbach gave us some awesome goals to put us up 2-1 in the first half. The second half was full of high intensity play as we continued to play with some excellent gustie tempo! Overall, it was great to achieve another win!

                

SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team Monday won its second consecutive game with a 2-1 victory over Northwestern-St. Paul. The Gusties improve to 2-5 overall and the Eagles drop to 1-7.
It didn’t take long for the Gusties to jump ahead as Rachel Rehnelt (So., Albert Lea) scored her first goal of the season 9:30 into the game. Abby Mullenbach (Sr., Lakeville) was credited with the assist. Thirteen minutes later, Taylor Hemme (Jr., Eden Prairie) made a nice crossing pass to Mullenbach in the box for the second goal of the game.
The Eagles were able to cut the lead in half with their lone goal of the game in the 41st minute and at halftime the Gusties led 2-1.
Gustavus had a number of scoring opportunities in the second half, but was unable to increase its lead. The defense held strong though, and the home team held on for a 2-1 win. The Gusties outshot the Eagles 23-3 and had 10 more corner kick opportunities.
Ashley Becker (Sr., Farmington) made one save in the win.
”We created a lot of dangerous opportunities today,” Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie said. “We got on the board early with two great goals. Unfortunately we gave up a goal late in the first half. We refocused at halftime and created a lot of very dangerous chances in the second half. We were creative in the attack and committed numbers going forward. We need to continue to create these dangerous opportunities moving forward and hopefully put the ball in the back of the net more often. A lot of good things from this game and a big shout out to Northwestern for battling as hard as they did.”

SAVE THE DATE: 5th Annual Run for Kicks 5k

We are hosting our Fifth Annual Run for Kicks 5k on the beautiful Gustavus campus! Running Ventures are the official race timers and we expect to have over 60 runners. More details below:

Date: Sunday, October 13th, 2019
Time: Registration opens at 9:00am, Race starts at 10:00am
Location: Gustavus Arb, start line is at the Arb entrance by the Presidents House
Cost: $25 for public, $15 for students, $15 for walkers
How to Register: https://runsignup.com/Race/MN/SaintPeter/GustavusWomensSoccerRunforKicks5K

Or register starting Tuesday, October 1st outside the Caf at our team's table at Gustavus.

CONFERENCE DUB!!

WooHoo!! Yesterday we took down St. Mary's! It was a very intense game throughout the 90 minutes. St. Mary's scored early in the first half to put us down one goal but that didn't stop us going forward! Katie Ashpole then proceeded to score not one but TWO goals in the second half bringing us to victory! Overall, it was a fantastic game with lots of chances going to goal and some exciting goal cellies!

                 

SAINT PETER, Minn. – Katie Ashpole’s (Jr., Chaska) second goal with less than four minutes remaining in the game put the Gustavus women’s soccer team on top of Saint Mary’s 2-1, which stood for a final. The Gusties move to 1-5 overall and 1-1 in the MIAC while the Cardinals are 4-2 overall and 0-2 in the league.

The game started on a negative note as an injury 30 seconds in delayed the game 15 minutes. After the injury timeout, Saint Mary’s took a 1-0 lead at the 7:34 mark. A few minutes later, lightning struck within the 15-mile radius and a 30-minute delay ensued.

Following the second game break, the Gusties knotted the score at 1-1 in the 26th minute as Ashpole scored on an assist from Taylor Hemme (Jr., Eden Prairie). At halftime, the scoreboard read 1-1 with the Gusties outshooting the Cardinals 9-3.

The game was a back and forth affair in the second half with the Gusties finally breaking through at the 86:35 mark as Rachel Rehnelt (So., Albert Lea) found Ashpole open in the box for a clean look at the goal and Ashpole lofted a shot over the keeper for what proved to be the game-winning goal.

The Gusties outshot the Cardinals 16-8 in the game. Ashley Becker (Sr., Farmington) made two saves in her first win of the season.

“We handled two big moments of adversity well,” Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie said. “We know that our belief had to come before the result and that showed today. Everyone put in full effort and we’re excited to roll this momentum into Monday.”

Gustavus returns to action 4 p.m. Monday, hosting Northwestern-St. Paul in non-conference action.

Game Day at St. Thomas!

Below is the recap of our first conference game against St. Thomas. It was a very exciting game where both teams battled hard. Ashley Becker came up with some huge saves to keep the game scoreless until the 42nd minute. We stayed strong even when the Tommies scored late into the second half and brought the energy level up even higher toward the end of the game. We are looking forward to more thrilling games coming up!

                 

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team Tuesday lost 3-0 at No. 9-ranked St. Thomas. The Gusties fall to 0-5 overall and 0-1 in the MIAC while the Tommies are now 4-0 and 1-0 in the league.

The two teams played over 42 minutes of scoreless ball until St. Thomas found the back of the net with 2:43 remaining in the first half for what proved to be the game-winner. The Tommies then added insurance goals in the 65th and 75th minutes.

The home team outshot the Gusties 20-5. Ashley Becker (Sr., Farmington) made five saves in 90 minutes.

Gustavus returns home Saturday to host Saint Mary’s at 3:30 p.m.

Breaking Records!!

Surprise Surprise! Ashley Becker has done it again! While playing Wartburg this past weekend, Ashley has become the Women's Soccer Career Saves Leader of the program history! What an awesome accomplishment from a great leader. Whether it's on the field or around campus, Ashley shows her true competitive spirit wherever she goes. We are so lucky to have such a stud playing for the black and gold!

                

WAVERLEY, Iowa – The Gustavus women’s soccer team Saturday lost 4-0 at Wartburg, dropping to 0-4 on the season. The Knights broke a scoreless draw in the 33rd minute and added three more unassisted goals for their sixth straight win to start the season.

Wartburg, who received votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches national poll, outshot the Gusties 9-1 throughout the 90-minute contest. Ashley Becker (Sr., Farmington) made two saves in 71:41 of play. Becker upped her career total to 309 saves, surpassing Tara Joosten’s previous program record, which stood since 1997. Abby Goodno (So., Little Canada) finished out the final 18:19 in goal and didn’t face a shot.

Gustavus looks to rebound 4 p.m. Tuesday at St. Thomas to start the MIAC schedule.

Home Opener Hurrah!

Our first home game was a blast! It was great to see all of our fans in the stands cheering on the black and gold. Although we went down late in the second half, the game overall was a success in our journey toward greatness. The game consisted of many memorable moments from lots of players. Our possession was looking great and the chances we had going to goal looked even better! We are looking forward to continuing our ascend in the next coming game days!

                  

SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s soccer team was unable to hold on to a one-goal lead Saturday afternoon at the Gustie Soccer Field as Luther scored two unanswered goals late in the second period for a 2-1 decision. The Gusties are now 0-3 overall while the Norse improve to 1-2.

Katie Ashpole (Jr., Chaska, Minn.) gave the Gusties a 1-0 advantage at the 19:36 mark in the first period, assisted by Judith Hepburn (Sr., North Pole, Alaska), and the home team carried the one-goal lead into halftime. Shots were an even 7-7 at the break.

Luther netted the equalizer in the 78th minute, finding the top right corner of the net from a shot in the 18-yard box. Seven minutes later the Gusties were whistled for a foul in the penalty box and the Norse took advantage with a penalty kick goal. The Black and Gold had a penalty kick opportunity to tie the game, but the Luther goalkeeper made a save to preserve the lead and eventually hold on for the win.

Luther outshot Gustavus 15-12 as Gustie keeper Ashley Becker (Sr., Farmington, Minn.) made six saves. That moves her career total to 307 saves and Becker is now two saves shy of setting a new program record.

Gustie Gameday!

Gameday is one of the best days of the week! Nothing else matters except for stepping on the field and playing the game we love with the people we love. In preparation for game day everyone seems to have their own, maybe quirky, traditions/routines/rituals. You might ask, why are these traditions important? For some it might actually be superstition. For others it helps us get in the right mindset to step on the field and play to our best ability. So what are some of of your game day traditions? Do you have to put on a certain shoe first and tie your laces a specific way? Do you have to listen to a certain song? Do you have to eat something specific? We love our game day traditions which include: eating a meal together, meeting together, and stepping onto the field as one unit. In games our nerves can take over, but our routines help to center and prepare us.

There’s a theory about different zones athletes enter when playing their sport. There’s the green, blue, and red zone. In each zone performance can be affected, either in a positive or sometimes negative way. It’s important to recognize the differences when you and your teammates are in each zone. When you can recognize the physical expressions of these zones, then we can help each other get into the best one!

Now, let’s explain the zones. Green zone is too relaxed. It’s not focused enough, you're not at a high enough intensity to actually perform at your best. The red zone is almost the opposite. In the red zone you’re over adrenalized. Your heart rate is too high and hard to control. For example, you'll be out of breath after only 5 minutes of being on the field.

The blue zone is the place to be. In the blue zone, your adrenaline is beneficial, your senses seem to sharpen, and you don't seem to get tired. This is where traditions come back into play. It's easy to get over adrenalized, especially on a gameday, and our routines help both calm us down, and get us prepared for to step onto the field. What are some of your pregame rituals? Does your team have one?

2019 Season: Opening Weekend-Dubuque, IA

Post our time in Kenosha, WI, we traveled to Dubuque, IA to face Loras College in our second game of the season. Located on a bluff of the Mississippi River, Dubuque is at a junction between Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. With an industrial history, the city is being reinvigorated with an influx of investment along the waterfront. 

On Saturday we soaked in some local history, and explored new some new art additions to the historic district of downtown Dubuque. We started our morning off, with a ride on the Fenelon Place Elevator. The cable car is the shortest, yet steepest railway in the world! 

The ride to the top took about 3 minutes and led to a scenic view of the whole city and the Mississippi River. The original idea for the creation of this cable car was based in making travel through Dubuque more convenient for a local merchant. The merchant was well traveled, and had seen incline cable cars in Europe. A one-car cable was built modeled after ones found in the Alps. Now, mainly a tourist attraction, the history of Fenelon Pace Elevator Company shows the importance of innovation, and learning about new places. 

Next, we tackled the Voice Productions Mural Walking Tour! The mission for the project is to get people in Dubuque involved in discussing and engaging in all forms of public art. The murals are all on private properties, and while some are easily seen, others are in more discreet places. We loved these murals done by both nationally and regionally recognized artists. Check our album cover in the second photo below! 

Our second game of the season was against nationally ranked Loras College. WHAT A GAME! Our Golden Gusties struck first in the 13th minute of the game. After some back and forth play, the team showed off our Gustie Tempo, building quickly out of the back to the right side of midfield. With one and two touch passing, we switched our point of the attack to the left side and found SR. Abby Mullenbach in front of the net, who only needed a toe poke to push the ball past the Loras goalkeeper. Loras evened up the game just before half time, and scored two insurance goals in the second half. Although a tough opponent, we came away enthused that were able to play our own style of soccer, and didn't get roped into playing Loras' long ball game. 

Now, back in St. Peter, MN, we look forward to building on what we've covered throughout last spring and this preseason. Our home opener is Saturday, September 7 at 12:30 p.m. verse Luther College! 

2019 Season: Opening Weekend-Kenosha, WI

The Gustavus women’s soccer team is back in St. Peter, MN after a competitive opening weekend where we traveled to Carthage in Kenosha, WI and then to Loras in Dubuque, IA. Although we came away from the weekend with two losses, we feel that we're on the verge of every piece coming together for a tremendous season! 

We arrived in Kenosha, WI Thursday evening in preparation for our first game of the season verse Carthage College on Friday. During travel, and in addition to playing, we feel that it's important to learn about the areas that we visit. With lots of history, small town charm, and the beauty of Lake Michigan, Kenosha was a great place to explore. 

Friday morning was spent aboard the Jelly Belly warehouse train tour learning about some of the operations of the Jelly Belly company. After the train tour we found ourselves taste testing Jelly Bellys from some of the best flavors, like cream soda, to some of the worst, think sausage, grass, and ear wax. 

Following our Jelly Belly tour, we headed for the shores of Lake Michigan and explored the historic North Pier Lighthouse. This lighthouse is currently an art studio, and boasts an artists in residence program. With the innate beauty of this area, we can understand why both artists and art enthusiasts flock to this area. 

Our game on Friday ended in a 0-1 loss, but we saw promising play out of our Gusties. Carthage scored off a corner in the 51st minute. A late surge by the Golden Gusties created scoring opportunities, but we couldn't get one into the back of the net. We left the field feeling good about all the potential that this team has, and looking forward to getting back on the field. 

After a Saturday morning practice, we spent the rest of our time in Kenosha at the Cheese-A-Palooza Festival. With Wisconsin cheese, live music, and even a retro car show, we couldn't go wrong!

As our time in Kenosha wrapped up, we were excited about the promise of this team. We are committed to each other, to the team, and to consistently being courageous both on and off the field. 

#courageorcomfort
#GustieSoccer