(Mesa, AZ) Last season, the Park University Gilbert women’s soccer team opened the season with a resounding win on the road. This season, it was not as dominant, but the end result was still the same, a clean sheet 2-0 win over Oregon Tech at Legacy Sports Park.
The Bucs got on the board early, with just over two minutes gone in the first half, scoring on a corner kick set piece as junior transfer Alli Meisel got her first goal as a Buc on the first shot off her foot as she beat OIT goalkeeper Sydni Nakamura. Hallie Benson picked up the assist on the play with a great kick from the corner.
“We were able to get an early goal which helped to set the tempo of the game,” said Buccaneers head coach Kali Harmon. “But Oregon Tech responded with more pace and forced us to adjust our game plan.”
The pace came in the form of an OIT attack which had 14 shots (seven on goal) and forced 9 fouls on the Bucs over the balance of the game.
Park managed to get an insurance goal 13 minutes into the second half as sophomore Sarai Mizzel found junior transfer Emma Alvarez free down the right side. Alvarez moved into position and blistered a shot which went off the hands of Nakamura and bounced just past the goal line. Nakamura tried to get back and knock it out before it crossed the line but could not get there in time.
Catherine Corlett, who posted a 1.69 GAA last year with five shutouts, gets her first clean sheet this year with seven saves.
Offensively the Buccaneers made the most of their opportunities as they only had three shots (all on goal) and made two of them.
We’ve worked hard the past couple weeks to bring our newcomers up to speed and today was a true test,” said Harmon. “I thought the girls did a great job of defending as a unit and weathering Oregon Tech attacks. Today was a great team win.”
Up next for the Bucs is a neutral site matchup against the defending national champions and No. 1 team in the country Spring Arbor on Monday, Aug 21 in Prescott, Ariz.
Game Notes:
– This is the second year in a row the Buccaneers have won their season opener. The Bucs have won 3 of their 5 season openers in the history of the program.
– Alli Maisel and Emma Alvarez are both junior college transfers and scored their first collegiate goals on the first shots of their careers.
– This was the sixth shutout for Catherine Corlett in her Bucs career.
– Three players (Meisel, Alison Washatka and Alicia Ypina) all played 90 minutes.
– Monday’s game with Spring Arbor will be the first time a Buccaneer women’s soccer team has faced the top-ranked team in the country.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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