Yellowjackets 1, Martin Luther 0 (2 OT)
SUPERIOR, Wis.: The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference decided earlier in the week that Saturday's women's soccer match in Superior would be their Game of the Week. The Yellowjackets were playing host to Martin Luther, two teams with U.M.A.C. post-season aspirations. And if that didn't provide enough drama, the clubs were also even in the conference standings.
The match lived up to its billing, as multiple overtime periods were needed to decide a winner. And fortunately for the Yellowjackets and their faithful, they came out on top, getting the game winner just over a minute into the second overtime to down Martin Luther 1-0.
With the win the Yellowjackets gain separation from Martin Luther and move themselves into a whole new tie. At the end of play Saturday, the Yellowjackets, who now have 12 points in U.M.A.C. play, sit tied for fourth place in the conference with Northland and Bethany Lutheran. When the dust settles at the end of the regular season, the top five teams will make the playoffs and the Yellowjackets currently occupy fifth position.
Saturday's tilt at the N.B.C. Spartan Sports Complex was a bit of a slow starter, but it was the Yellowjackets who held the territorial advantage. Throughout the first half the Yellowjackets sent shots toward the Martin Luther goal, but came up empty. The teams reached halftime scoreless, despite the Yellowjackets holding an 11-3 edge in shots attempted.
It was more of the same in the second half. The Yellowjackets had the territorial edge and outshot Martin Luther 13-2, but another 45 minutes passed with nobody scoring and we headed for overtime.
In the first overtime period it was the Knights who had the better chances, outshooting the Yellowjackets 3-1, but those ten minutes passed and the stalemate continued. Then, just over a minute into the second overtime, the Yellowjackets broke through.
Sarah Fjeran (Duluth, Minn./Marshall School) worked the ball up the right side and moved it to the middle to
Kelli Graham (Middleville, Mich./Thornapple Kellogg). Graham weaved through traffic and passed to the left side to
Liza Shelquist (Pine Island, Minn./Pine Island), and the senior made no mistake, rifling a shot past the Martin Luther goalkeeper to give the Yellowjackets 1 -0 win and send the crowd home happy.
For Shelquist, who has been the definition of snakebitten throughout the year, it was her first goal of the season and it couldn't have hit at a better time, giving the Yellowjackets a crucial three-point victory.
Madison Gutekunst (Mound, Minn./Mound Westonka) got the start in goal and picked up the win, improving her record to 3-4-0. She made four saves to earn her first career shutout.
The Yellowjackets outshot Martin Luther 26-8, and held a 12-4 edge in shots on goal.
Up Next: The Yellowjackets (4-9-1, 4-4-0 U.M.A.C.) head south to take on Northwestern Tuesday, October 16. The match will get underway at 7:30 p.m. in St. Paul, Minn.
