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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Corbey R. Dorsey
3
Winner Emporia State ESU (13-4-1, 8-3-0)
0
Nebraska-Kearney UNKSOC (5-12-1, 3-7-1)
Winner
Emporia State ESU
(13-4-1, 8-3-0)
3
Final
0
Nebraska-Kearney UNKSOC
(5-12-1, 3-7-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Emporia State ESU 2 1 3
Nebraska-Kearney UNKSOC 0 0 0

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

The 2018 Season Comes to an End

Kearney, Neb. – The Emporia State Hornets scored two first half goals to down Nebraska-Kearney, 3-0, Sunday at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

The Hornets (13-4-1, 8-3-0) finish the regular season tied for third place in the MIAA and advance to next week's eight-team MIAA Tournament. The Lopers end up at 5-12-1 (7-3-1) and in 10th place, one point from a three-way eighth place tie.  

"I'm really proud of this team and the effort they gave this year. This program is going in the right direction. We just have to fix a few little things," said Loper head coach Chloe Roberts. "We're playing some great soccer …. the way I want to play is starting to grow now."

Emporia, moving to 3-3-1 on the road, had a 16-6 shot advantage and took  all 10 corners in the game. However, UNK's defense didn't allow a shot and only one corer over the first 19 minutes. After a Loper foul in the 21st minute, ESU set up for a free kick.

That shot was placed in front of the goal and after ricocheting off several Lopers and Hornets it went to junior Kennedy Hoffman, who banged in the loose ball from about 12 yards out. 32712

"We showed growth this year. There's a lot of great teams in this conference and I really feel we were right there with every single team this season," said Roberts. "We do have to figure out a way to be on top instead of trying to come back."

Seven minutes later it was Hoffman's turn to assist on goal as she found true freshman Gaby Crowell on the left wing. From about 15 yards out, she tallied her second goal of the fall as the ball just went under Loper senior keeper Ali Hirschman (Millard South).

In the second half, UNK got off all six of its shots with the best looking coming from senior Tori Weber (Lincoln SE). Her free kick in the 50th minute banged off the far post and then trickled in front of the Hornet net, didn't cross the goal line and harmlessly went out of bounds.

With UNK pushing forward, E-State's last goal came with eight minutes left when senior Jacki Martinek went top shelf from about 20 yards out. Overall, 10 different Hornets were credited with a shot led by junior Tanna Benefiel (three). Hirschman, going all 90 minutes, finished with seven saves.

Offensively for the Lopers, senior Ciera Clark (Omaha North) and sophomore Alex Dayton (Olathe, Kan.) had two shots apiece.

Besides Clark, Hirschman and Weber, the other senior Lopers honored in a post game ceremony were Kelsie Ienn (Papillion), Caitlin Rerucha (Omaha Skutt), Kaitlyn Pawloski (Hastings) and Micheala Hoffman (Fruita, Colo.). Finally, senior Emily Kosch (Columbus Scotus) played her last game Friday and was honored then.

"We obviously had a lot of seniors this year so we'll be young next season. That'll be an exciting time for this program," said Roberts, who noted the Lopers currently have 13 verbal commitments.

Loper Season Leaders
Points: Clark (10); Maddie Love (8), Kassidy Kirsch (4)
Goals: Clark (5), Love (3), six others at one apiece
Assists: Kirsch and Love (two each), six others at one apiece
Shots: Love (25), Megan Merkel (24), Clark (19)
Minutes: Willis (all 1,662), Megan Cook (1,652), Pawloski (1,410)
Saves: Allie Prososki (48), Hirschman (31), Emily Thuss (8)
GAA: Thuss (1.34), Prososki (1.48), Hirschman (3.08)
 
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