Lady Coyotes use second half goal to get past McPherson 1-0
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Kat Benton scored the game winner in the 69th minute to give KWU the 1-0 win

Kansas Wesleyan used a second half goal by forward Kathleen Benton to get past KCAC rival McPherson 1-0 in Friday morning’s NAIA Region IV Semifinal at Salina Stadium.

It was the third time this season the teams have met, the second in the last week, as the Lady Bulldogs and Lady Coyotes faced one another in the KCAC Tournament Championship last Saturday in Wichita. The match ended in a 1-1 tie, but KWU advanced in a penalty kick shootout, winning 3-2.

Wesleyan (19-1-1) had plenty of chances to score, but could not find the net in the first half. The Lady Coyotes tallied 21 shots in the first 45 minutes, and 36 for the game, with 15 on goal, but only found the net once.

“We started playing too fast,” KWU coach Mike Dibbini said. “We were out there going a hundred miles per hour, when if we would have  slowed down and taken our time, the goals would have come.”

Heather Muilenburg hit the post in the 35th minute on a shot that would have put Wesleyan up 1-0 in the first half, and Megan Couch had an opportunity just miss right before the half when her shot to the top left corner of the goal would hit the crossbar.

Benton got her goal in the 69th minute on a great play. Muilenburg found Benton on the right side just outside the post. Benton trapped the ball and spun to seal off the McPherson defender and fired a low, sharp angled shot past McPherson’s Andrea Swanson for the score.

Muilenburg had a chance in the 84th minute when her initial shot was stopped by Andrea Swanson, and the rebound came back to Muilenburg, and her second shot was high but Swanson got a piece of it again, forcing a corner kick.

The Lady Coyotes outshot McPherson (13-6-1) 36-2 in the match. Haley Cook had both of McPherson’s shots. Swanson went the distance in goal for McPherson, allowing one goal and recording 14 saves.

Muilenburg and Benton both led Wesleyan with six shots each, four on goal. Janna Macy had four shots and Marylou Casillas also had four shots for the Lady Coyotes.  Kelli Beatty went the distance in goal for the shutout, recording just one save, but also made a great grab of a loose ball off a McPherson corner kick in front of the goal to preserve the shutout.

The Lady Coyotes advance to the NAIA Region IV Championship against Park (Mo.), tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. at Salina Stadium. The Pirates defeated Bellevue (Neb.) 4-0 in today’s other semifinal match.

The winner of tomorrow’s championship match advances to the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla., which begin November 14.

-- KWU SI --