PLYMOUTH, Wis. –
Malaya Sperber (
Jr.-Cedar Grove, Wis.) scored the only goal in the match and
Ingrid Steinbock (
Jr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) delivered a flawless performance in goal as the Lakeland University women's soccer team earned a 1-0 victory over Marian University Wednesday night at John Taylor Memorial Field.
The Muskies were outshot 23-1 for the match but scored on their lone shot in the 55th minute to win for the second time this season and first time in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play. Lakeland improved to 2-6 overall, finished 2-3 on its recent five-game homestand, and is 1-2 in the NACC while dropping Marian to 1-5-2 overall and 0-3 in conference.
An already satisfying win was even more so with it coming on Alumni Night, with a group of former Muskies players on hand. The alumni as well as a crowd in attendance during Homecoming week saw Lakeland defeat the Sabres for the first time since 2008, stopping a 17-match losing streak in the series with their most-played rival.
The Muskies played much of the match on defense and were outshot 23-1 on the night, but survived a scoreless first half and then capitalized on one of their few opportunities early in the second half. The chance started when Steinbock made a save of a shot straight on from Marian's Sophia Romo, and then punted the ball down the middle of the field that bounced once to Sperber at midfield.
Sperber then carried the ball into the offensive end before it was deflected away.
Ines Rodriguez (
Newark, Calif.) won the loose ball and then passed back to Sperber in the middle, who received the pass after getting up off the ground after contact with a Marian defender. Sperber received the pass, briefly had it taken away but got it back, then dribbled left, then cut back right and got off a shot from 25 yards out between three defenders that bounced once and skidded past Sabres goalkeeper Cristal Muniz just inside the right post for her fifth goal of the season.
Lakeland's 1-0 lead appeared it would be short-lived when just over a minute later a foul was called in the box, giving Marian a penalty kick. Daniela Chaname took the shot but Steinbock deflected it away, her second penalty kick stop in two matches preserving the lead.
Steinbock would star the rest of the game, making five more saves to preserve the shutout. The most impressive came in the 79th minute, when Jasmine Molina received a through pass 10 yards in front of the goal and fired from point-blank range, but Steinbock dove to her right to stop a shot ticketed inside the left post, then recovered the rebound while falling backwards.
The Sabres had two more shots over the final 10 minutes. The last came with 20 seconds left, when Brianna Guelig received a pass inside the 18-yard box in the middle, turned, dribbled and then took a left-footed shot from 15 yards out that Steinbock corralled on one hop to close it out.
The Muskies made it through a first half when they were outshot 13-0 and after the first 1 1/2 minutes spent much of the remainder of the half backed up in their own end. The defensive back line including
Emily Guy (
Glendale Heights, Ill.),
Ashlyn Jimenez (
So.-Crown Point, Ind.),
Alana Mrotek (
Fr.-Luxemburg, Wis.) and
Kaitlyn Taylor (
Fr.-Simi Valley, Calif.) for the large part kept Marian from seriously threatening, and Steinbock made five saves.
Steinbock finished with 13 saves for her first shutout of the season and second collegiate shutout. Lakeland defeated Marian for the first time since a 2-1 victory in the final match of the 2008 season.
The Muskies go on the road for their next match, traveling to take on Concordia University Chicago on Saturday at 1 p.m. in River Forest, Ill.
