Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Junior Kadie Walaszczyk (pronounced wah-loz-check) scored two goals to help the Nebraska-Kearney women's soccer team beat Emporia State, 2-1, Sunday afternoon in Kansas.
 
This was the regular season finale for both teams.
 
The win allows the Lopers (5-9-4, 4-5-2) to qualify for the 2015 MIAA Tournament. This is the second post season appearance in program history; the 2013 squad also reached the eight-team MIAA's.
 
With the loss, the Hornets (9-8-1, 4-6-1) were bounced from the tournament.
 
UNK tied Washburn for seventh place in the league standings and won the tie-breaker over the Ichabods. Kearney will face second-seed Central Oklahoma on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. In early October, the Lopers posted a 1-0 victory in Edmond.

"Our team deserved this result. We played well and put everything into this match," said UNK head coach John Maessner. "We knew we had to win to keep our season alive. We believe there are big things ahead for us this year."
 
With just seven minutes remaining in regulation, Walaszczyk (Houston, Texas) scored a breakaway goal from about 15 yards out. Coming from the right side, the play started with a pass by Omaha sophomore Carly Brown.
 
In the 32nd minute, Walaszczyk converted a penalty kick to give UNK a 1-0 lead. She becomes just the fifth Loper to score two goals in the same game; UNK has yet to have a hat trick in its eight-year history. 
 
The lead was short lived, however, as Emporia's Tiffany Jones tallied a rebound goal in the 36th minute.
 
Both teams were busy offensively all game, UNK tying a season-high in shots (18) with E-State taking 19. Walaszczyk had a team-high five shots with Arizona senior Meaghan Pasbrig at three and Hastings senior Ashtin Pawloski at two.

"It was so nice to have Wally score twice today. She has been one of our better players over the last few years," said Maessner.
 
Omaha freshman keeper Ali Hirschman made seven saves to earn her fifth win. Hornet keeper Yadira Rivera stopped six saves in each half.