Morningside takes aim at GPAC championship berth

Fifth-seeded Morningside University travels to top-seeded, regular-season Great Plains Athletic Conference champion and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' No. 22-ranked University of Jamestown for GPAC postseason tournament semifinal round action Tuesday, Nov. 9.

Kickoff at the UJ Jimmies Soccer Field is 6 p.m. Live statistics and video are available through links at www.msidemustangs.com, the Internet home of Morningside University athletics.

The Match-Up: Morningside advanced to the league's tournament Fab Four for the first time since 2016 with a resounding 3-0 victory over fourth-seeded Midland University Nov. 4. A remarkable scoreless string for Mside's defense continued at Heedum Field in Fremont, Neb. Senior goalkeeper Sarah Finn (Tampa, Fla.), the reigning league Defensive Player of the Week, compiled her fourth successive clean sheet and sixth of the season, tallying five saves which upped her string of multiple-save outings to 13 and the unit's blanking of opposing offenses to better than 530 minutes. Meanwhile, on the other end of the Warriors home venue, the Mustangs' offense proved on point throughout. Senior midfielder Makenzie Homan (Omaha, Neb.) struck less than two minutes in with a rocket from the top of the box. Just before halftime, freshman forward Ellie Gengler (Sioux City, Iowa) slipped a rugby scrum ball just past MU netminder Mackenzie Smith for a 2-0 advantage. Midland's offense opened up as the second half began, but it was to no avail due to Finn's net stature and the efforts of defenders such as freshman Julie Severin (Haderslav, Denmark). That play allowed one more Mustangs' score, this time off the foot of freshman defender/midfielder Roselynn Bosman (Drempt, Netherlands), again with a scramble in front of the net, with less than 16 minutes to play, putting the outcome out of doubt. "This late-season run is just due to a young team maturing," Maxon noted post-match of Mside winning its fifth straight and snapping a four-match conference quarterfinal round skid. "This league is so even --- it's been tough every match out, but, with that in mind, our players have learned a lot. We've been in most contests but hadn't been able to get over the hump until a week or two ago. It's a sign of everyone starting to gel together and understand their roles." … Finn continues to be among the nation's top netminders. She goes into the semifinals ranked 26^th in wins (nine), 38^th in shutouts (five), and 58^th in save percentage (.802). Maxon's offense has been balanced throughout the season. Thirteen players have scored at least one goal, with a group of seven tallying two or more. Sophomore defender/forward Jil Hellerforth (Luedensheid, Germany), freshmen midfielders Antonia Janssen (Darmstadt, Germany), Nathalie Larsson (Gothenburg, Sweden), and freshman forward Ebba Torgner (Mjoelby, Sweden) lead the pack (Hellerforth five, Janssen four, Larsson and Torgner three).

To the Victor: Tuesday night's winner advances to the 2021 GPAC tournament championship match Friday, Nov. 12, at a site and time to be determined.