Second half goals carry Pioneers over Pride in Heart Tournament Quarterfinals

Second half goals carry Pioneers over Pride in Heart Tournament Quarterfinals
Box Score
November 5, 2024

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Hosting their first ever home postseason game in program history, the Clarke University women's soccer team fell 2-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Quarterfinals against MidAmerica Nazarene University on Tuesday night.

The Pride jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Brie Cote was able to send a long ball forward to a sprinting Jayden Black as Black would break free behind the MNU back line to dribble around Fiona Popetschnig, who came off her line to try and cut down Black for the freshman All-Heart Third Team selection to slide the ball into the net in the fourth minute to give CU the advantage.

That score would hold until halftime, largely due to three saves made by Clarke keeper Faith Krapfl as the junior from Peosta, Iowa would first make a leaping save on a Thayline Teixeira shot from distance that seemed ticketed for the back of the net but Krapfl would get a hand to it to deflect it off of the cross bar to keep the Pioneers off the board.

In just under 10 minutes into the second half, MNU would break through to tie the game at 1-1 in the 55th minute when Skylee Deladurantaye found open space in the middle of MidAmerica Nazarene's attacking zone to receive a pass from Emily Carrasco and beat Krapfl to score inside of the left post.

Nearly 20 minutes of game time later, the Pioneers would earn a free kick on the left win where Teixeira would lob a ball towards net that would this time float over the outstretched arm of Krapfl to give MNU a 2-1 lead in the 76th minute where they would be able to hang on despite a late flurry of offensive chance from the Pride in the final moments.

The win carries MidAmerica Nazarene to the Heart Tournament Semifinals where they will face off against Missouri Valley College on Friday, Nov. 8 in Marshall, Mo. for a chance to go to the Heart Championship to be played on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

With their elimination from the Heart Tournament, Clarke women's soccer sits at a 12-4-3 overall record and will await the official selection of the NAIA Tournament field in hopes of securing an at large bid with the tournament field to be announced on Saturday, Nov. 16.