BY MCKENDREE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Crane, Reiniger Lead McKendree Women’s Soccer in 7-0 Rout over Hannibal-LaGrange
(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 6)
Senior forward Natalie Crane (Granite City, Ill./Granite City) and sophomore midfielder Alyssa Reiniger (Maryville, Ill./Collinsville) each had two goals for the McKendree University women’s soccer team in a 7-0 win over Hannibal-LaGrange University in the home opener on Saturday.
The Bearcats improve to 1-1 on the season and will host Missouri Valley College on Tuesday, Sept. 9 for the final non-conference game of the season at 7 p.m.
Crane opened the game with back-to-back goals to push McKendree out to a quick lead. Her first came off an assist by junior midfielder Cassie Kaiping (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) in the sixth minute, and she found the back of the net again with an unassisted score in the 27th minute. Reiniger scored her first goal of the season in the 33rd minute on an assist from junior midfielder Alyssa Patterson (Troy, Ill./Triad) and struck again in the 36th minute off a pass from Danielle Hareb (Flatbush, New Zealand/Mount Albert) to extend the lead to 4-0.
Sophomore midfielder Danielle Hareb (Flatbush, New Zealand/Mount Albert) scored her first collegiate goal in the 42nd minute off Kaiping’s second assist of the game, and freshman midfielder Rachel Kaltwasser (Belleville, Ill./Althoff Catholic) added her first collegiate goal just before the half off an assist from Reiniger to give the Bearcats a 6-0 lead at the break.
Freshman midfielder Abby Stutz (Godfrey, Ill./Alton) scored the last goal of the game off an assist from sophomore Safiya Atkinson (Kingston, St. Andrew, Jamica/Wolmer’s Trust High School for Girls) in the 61st minute to put McKendree in front with a 7-0 lead. Stutz’s goal and Atkinson’s assist were both firsts for their collegiate careers for the Bearcats.
Junior goalkeeper Taylor Zerbe (St. Louis, Mo./Trinity Catholic) played the first half in goal and grabbed one save, while sophomore goalkeeper Anna Sassman (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County) played the second half and had two saves to combine for the team shutout.
Women’s Soccer Drops Conference Opener at Maryville 3-0
(ST. LOUIS, Mo., Sept. 12)
The McKendree University women’s soccer team lost its conference opener at Maryville University on Friday 3-0.
The Bearcats fall to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with the loss and will travel to St. Louis, Mo., on Sunday to face University of Missouri-St. Louis at noon.
McKendree was unable to get into a rhythm offensively and was unable to overcome a 3-0 first half deficit. Sophomore goalkeeper Anna Sassman (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County) fell to 0-2 overall on the season and had six saves in the loss.
McKendree University Women’s Soccer Edged 1-0 at Missouri-St. Louis
(St. LOUIS, Mo., Sept.14)
The McKendree University women’s soccer team dropped a close Great Lakes Valley Conference match on Sunday at University of Missouri-St. Louis 1-0.
The Bearcats fall to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the GLVC and will host Truman State University on Friday, Sept. 19 at 5 p.m.
McKendree trailed 1-0 after the first half, and held an 8-7 shot advantage in the second half, but was unable to find the back of the net to tie the game. The Bearcats had an opportunity to tie the game in the 72nd minute, but junior midfielder Cassie Kaiping (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo)’s shot went off the crossbar.
Sophomore goalkeeper Anna Sassman (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County) fell to 0-4 overall in goal and had five saves in the loss.
