By Elma Oijens Sjoelin, Sports Writer
Title photo by Pat Knapinski
Two weeks ago, the McKendree women’s soccer team made their way to Peoria, Illinois to take care of business. The business was the GLVC Championship, and they took care of it! Dubbed the queens of the GLVC, the team flew to Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan last week to play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Being a part of the team, I have the privilege to share these experiences with my teammates, and winning the GLVC Championship was something truly unforgettable. We drove up to Peoria, Illinois to partake in the championship, which this year was played on neutral ground. After a three-hour long bus ride, we arrived at Corwin Clatt Stadium in East Peoria, Illinois and did a training session before driving to our hotel. Later that evening we got dressed up and went with McKendree men’s soccer, who was also participating in the GLVC Championship, to the annual GLVC banquet.
The final four men’s and women’s teams, a total of eight teams, attended the banquet where the Postseason Awards such as Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Player of The Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, and Freshman of The Year, as well as All-Conference Teams, were announced. Several McKendree women’s soccer players received awards and recognition. Maggie Gleckler (freshman) received the Freshman of the Year Award. Destiny Johnson (senior) received the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award. Anna Stiffler (senior) and Morgan Bova (graduate student) made the First Team All-Conference. Katie Spotanski (senior) claimed a spot on the Second Team All-Conference. Finally, Lena Higgins (junior) Maggie Gleckler (freshman), and Maria Voss (junior) made the Third All-Conference Team.
After the festivities of the banquet, it was time to shift our focus to the semi-final against Drury University on Friday. We woke up well-rested and with a laser-sharp focus on Friday morning. We played against a solid and athletic Drury, and the game went into overtime after Katie Spotanski’s equalizer, after which we continued to dominate and finally claimed our spot in the GLVC Championship Final with Anna Stiffler’s tiebreaker.
On Saturday we had another training session on the field to prepare us for the final against Lewis University on Sunday, but it was a very light and short session. Our coaches emphasized that the team who recovered best would win the final, so all our time was dedicated to eating well, hydrating, recovering, and resting for the big game.
We had been lucky with the weather throughout the whole weekend, but the weather on Sunday was truly perfect. The sun was out, the wind was mild, and the temperature was 58°, perfect conditions for soccer. We had breakfast, and then we left the hotel for the final time. We arrived, got ready, warmed up, and then it was game time. We faced a quick and strong Lewis, yet we set the tone from the start and dominated with possession and chances during the whole first half. We had opportunity after opportunity, but Lewis’s back line was tall and strong in the air, and they managed to clear most of our final passes and crosses in their box.
In the 42’, Lewis’ goalkeeper got a little too bold and stepped far out of the goal. Sophomore Abigail Simon noticed the goalkeeper’s mistake and served a ball with her right foot into the box far out from the right side. It passed Lewis’ whole back line, and as it closed in on the goalkeeper, she failed to reach it. The ball hit the back of the net, changing the scoreboard to 1-0 to McKendree. In the second half, we kept dominating. Lewis did not have many chances until perhaps the last fifteen minutes of the game, but a strong team effort and some major saves from our goalkeeper Abby Tucker ultimately led to McKendree becoming the GLVC Champions, or as the NCAA announced us earlier last week, the Queens of the GLVC.
Winning the GLVC Championship gave us a bid to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Last week, we flew with a chartered plane from St. Louis to Marquette, Michigan, where we were going to face Grand Valley State University, seeded third in the Midwest region. We battled from beginning to end and had some dangerous chances, but none resulted in a goal. GVSU came out on top and scored three goals, two through corners. They won the game, and our season ended at nationals.
Defeat never tastes good, but we are extremely proud of each other, and together we have made memories that will last a lifetime. Looking back at this season, as our assistant coach Marc Hager pointed out, we have truly found our identity as a team. From our first conference game against Rockhurst University (which we lost), to remaining undefeated throughout the rest of the season, and finally winning the GLVC championship, this season has proven how every single player, coach, and staff member of our program has played a vital role in paving our path to the NCAA Tournament. Seeing how every single effort, practice, lift, film session, and all the games come together and shape our outcomes and memories reminds us what it truly means to make our mark.
Finally, I want to acknowledge and thank Morgan Bova, Allison Frederking, Kathleen Kenny, and Abby Tucker for their contributions to the program as this was their final season as McKendree Bearcats.
