The Ashland University women's soccer team had not beaten Grand Valley State since Oct. 16, 2005, but that streak is over. The Eagles took down the No. 2-ranked and reigning national champion Lakers, 2-1, on Friday (April 16) night in Allendale, Mich.
The win snapped a 22-match unbeaten run for the Lakers against Ashland and it was Grand Valley's first home defeat in a GLIAC contest since Oct. 17, 2014. The Lakers were unbeaten in their last 55 games at home overall heading into Friday night.
Head coach
Taylor Clarke said his team made the commitment to the winning effort at the beginning of the week and it carried over into the 90 minutes.
"It was everything," Clarke said. "The group committed to the idea. They committed to the mental, physical and tactical preparation to beat a very good team. In the 90 minutes from whistle to whistle, they showed that commitment."
The Eagles (6-1) and Lakers played to an all square first half that saw neither team develop any real scoring opportunities.
But the game opened up in the second half with the first chance belonging to junior
Brianna Fourman, whose shot from outside the area banged off the crossbar in the 48
th minute.
After senior goalkeeper
Hannah Lee was called into action for her first save of the night a minute later, the Eagles pounced for the opening goal.
Senior
Emily Mark intercepted a pass in the midfield and played it to freshman
Hannah Mueller, who drove into space down the right wing before playing a cross into the box which was headed over the line at the near post by junior
Bella Petrock.
"That's the mindset," Clarke said. "We hit the crossbar and it didn't deflate us. We thought the next one will roll in our favor.
"We wanted to get at their back line. They're not used to defending and we wanted to be dangerous and threatening. We asked our midfielders to get forward and we talked about betting on yourself in those moments in the final third. That's what Hannah and Bella did."
Trailing 1-0, the Lakers (3-1-1) started to push their numbers forward to test Lee and the back line, but the center back duo of junior
Tori Baker and senior
Hannah Riddle held strong along with fullbacks senior
Rylie Howman and junior
Mary Grace Haney.
Having defended for much of the period after the goal, the Eagles were able to get an outlet in the 80
th minute as senior
Hillary Mihalik won the ball off a GVSU defender in the midfield and played it to junior
Faith Lewis.
Lewis didn't take a touch before chipping the goalkeeper from 40 yards, sailing her shot just under the crossbar to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
It was a remarkable goal from Lewis, who has now scored in two straight games.
"She came in today with a chip on her shoulder, believing in herself and being the one to give us that extra belief to get it over the finish line," Clarke said.
In the end the Lakers continued to throw bodies forward and cut the lead in half through a goal by Greta Deloach in the 85
th minute.
The Eagles put forth a tremendous effort in the waning moments as Mueller headed a Chantel Carranza shot off the line in the 88
th minute before Lee made a save a minute later that saw out the game.
"They wanted to bring focus from whistle to whistle and the back line stepped up," said Clarke. "Everyone defended as a unit today, limiting chances against an extremely talented team. Front to back it was a massive effort."
The Eagles came into the game having not scored a goal against the Lakers since their last win over GVSU in 2005.
They will now head to Davenport to take on the Panthers at 11 a.m. on Sunday (April 18) in Grand Rapids, Mich.
AU
WSOC/BB
