Stausholm’s special Saturday tops weekend road matinee

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. – Continuing an impressive recent run of play, Morningside University's women's soccer team wrapped up an unbeaten week Saturday, Sept. 25.

In a nip-and-tuck battle at MidAmerica Christian University's Mike and Helen Dill Field, freshman forward/midfielder Victoria Stausholm (Esbjerg, Denmark) added more to an already strong week's resume. Taking an assist from fellow first-year offensive teammate Ebba Torgner (Mjoelby, Sweden) in the 16^th minute, she got head coach Tom Maxon's Mustangs on the scoreboard first. She came back just over an hour of match time later for a second successful strike with help from a third newcomer in the form of Nathalie Larsson (Gothenburg, Sweden) to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage.

Senior net minder Sarah Finn (Tampa, Fla.) managed to keep Mside's net clean for a large share of the Sooner Athletic Conference – Great Plains Athletic Conference showdown. MACU finally cracked Morningside's defense in the 83^rd minute but couldn't produce a game-tying score, as the Mustangs won for the third time in their last four outings in a 2-1 final.

Stausholm's big Saturday wound down a three-goal, two game-winning score span for the week. She wasn't the only one shining in the span, though. Torgner registered a goal and two assists; Larsson ended with a goal and an assist, and Finn gained two victories and totaled eight saves. 

The men's half of the doubleheader featured a rematch of a 2020 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' tournament opening-round clash. A gritty effort from Morningside, seeing them draw the nation's No. 5-ranked program and limiting them to just one goal for more than 65 minutes, was turned away by the perennial power home side with a 3-1 decision. 

Junior goalkeeper Bjarne Huth (Bad Vilbel, Germany) managed to keep his team close. Working through a 21-5 MACU shot advantage, he produced six saves. Morningside's offense was led by junior forward Robin Thomala (Wipshausen, Germany). He totaled two shot attempts and distributed an assist on sophomore forward Gero Zarbo's (Berlin, Germany) second goal in his last three appearances.

Morningside returns to GPAC play Wednesday, Sept. 29. They travel to Hastings College for a 5:30 p.m. women's and 8 p.m. men's doubleheader.