Bedrock defense guides Morningside into GPAC Fab Four

FREMONT, NEB. – A remarkable scoreless string for Morningside University's defense continued Thursday, Nov. 4.

Head coach Tom Maxon's Mustangs blanked host and Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament No. 4-seed Midland University on its Heedum Field pitch for 90 minutes in a 3-0 quarterfinal round triumph. Senior goalkeeper Sarah Finn (Tampa, Fla.), the reigning league Defensive Player of the Week, compiled her fourth successive clean sheet and sixth of the season, tallying five saves which upped her string of multiple-save outings to 13 and the unit's blanking of opposing offenses to better than 530 minutes. 

Meanwhile, on the other end of the Warriors home venue, Mside's offense provided on point throughout. Senior midfielder Makenzie Homan (Omaha, Neb.) struck less than two minutes with a rocket from the top of the box. Just before halftime, freshman forward Ellie Gengler (Sioux City, Iowa) slipped a rugby scrum ball just past MU netminder Mackenzie Smith for a 2-0 advantage. Midland's offense opened up as the second half began, but it was to no avail due to Finn's net stature and the efforts of defenders such as freshman Julie Severin (Haderslav, Denmark). That play allowed one more Mustangs' score, this time off the foot of freshman defender/midfielder Roselynn Bosman (Drempt, Netherlands), again with a scramble in front of the net, with less than 16 minutes to play, putting the outcome out of doubt. 

"This late-season run is just due to a young team maturing," Maxon noted post-match of Mside winning its fifth straight and snapping a four-match conference quarterfinal round skid. "This league is so even --- it's been tough every match out, but, with that in mind, our players have learned a lot. We've been in most contests but hadn't been able to get over the hump until a week or two ago. It's a sign of everyone starting to gel together and understand their roles."

"We were so strong from the start tonight," he added. "If we can keep putting together matches like this, I feel like we can battle with anyone."

Morningside, moving to 12-5-1, advances to semifinal round play, taking on top-seeded and regular-season champion University of Jamestown Tuesday, Nov. 9. The kickoff is 6 p.m. at UJ's Jimmie Turf Field.