Yellowjackets 0, Minnesota Morris 0 (2 OT)
Yellowjackets win on penalty kicks 5-4
SUPERIOR, Wis.: Tuesday's match was a long time coming for the Yellowjacket women's soccer program - 25 years to be exact.
The Yellowjackets fielded a varsity program for the first time in 1993. There were seven trips to the post-season during their time in the W.I.A.C., but all of those were courtesy of a play-in game, meaning they didn't actually make the playoffs, but rather had to play their way into the post-season field by winning a match against the next-lowest seed. There was a victory in 1996, when the Yellowjackets knocked off UW-Platteville in a neutral site match to move beyond the play-in game for the first time. That season would end the next day in a loss to UW-Oshkosh.
Come Monday, the Yellowjackets took the field knowing that, for the first time in their 25-year history, their regular season performance secured them a berth in the post-season without the need of a play-in game. And why not follow an historic regular season with a playoff match for the ages.
The Yellowjackets and Minnesota Morris, who met just 48 hours earlier in the regular season finale, played an epic first-round match, going scoreless through regulation and two overtime periods. Things weren't decided until the sixth round of the shootout, when
Claire Smith (Hayward, Wis./Hayward) scored for the Yellowjackets and Megan Ellingboe misfired for the Cougars sending the Yellowjackets into the U.M.A.C. semifinals.
It will go in the record books as a 0-0 tie, but for the Yellowjackets, Wednesday was a victory.
Fans and players alike watched as Ellingboe lined up her opportunity. She connected, and Yellowjacket goalkeeper
Madison Gutekunst (Mound, Minn./Mound Westonka) sprawled in an attempt to block. The shot went wide, Gutekunst picked herself up off the turf and raced to her teammates, setting off a celebration that uncorked waves of emotion. Seniors and juniors, some of whom endured a one-win season, cried tears of joy, celebrating a match that validates a program that has come a long way in a short time.
And not to be lost in the joy of advancing to the next round is the fact the Yellowjackets are playing their best soccer of the season. Since a loss at Northwestern October 16, the Yellowjackets are 3-0-2 and have not allowed a goal. They've shut out their opponents in five of their last six matches and are in the midst of a shutout streak spanning 493:27.
The opening half Monday was played as close to the vest as is humanly possible. Shot attempts favored the Yellowjackets 4-3, as did shots on goal at 3-2. The majority of the half was played between the 18s.
About midway through the second half the Yellowjackets had a golden opportunity, but
Tatum Lardinois (Suamico, Wis./Bay Port) was denied from about 20 yards out. Moments later Morris had its own chance but Sam Tate sent her opportunity wide. The Cougars began to press in the closing minutes of the half, but their shots were either stopped by Gutekunst or missed the goal completely.
Neither team had great chances in the overtime periods, and with score still deadlocked at 0-0, the match would have to be decided by penalty kicks.
Sarah Fjeran (Duluth, Minn./Marshall School) went first and scored for the Yellowjackets, and Tate answered for Morris, tying things 1-1 after round one.
Liza Shelquist (Pine Island, Minn./Pine Island) then missed for the Yellowjackets, as did Brooke Lorentz for Morris. The next three shooters -
Emily Roe (Blaine, Wash./Blaine),
Erin Schoborg (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech), and
Mackenzie Dahlin (Kaukauna, Wis./Kaukauna) all scored for the Yellowjackets, as did the three shooters for the Cougars, so the teams were tied 4-4 after the initial five shooters.
From there it would be sudden death. Smith's perfectly placed shot put the Yellowjackets on the verge of victory, and Ellingboe had to score to keep Morris alive. She missed the goal wide to the left, and the celebration was on for the Yellowjackets.
For the match the Morris outshot the Yellowjackets 16-9. Shots on goal favored the Cougars 8-4.
Annah Schussman (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) paced the Yellowjackets with four shots attempted and three shots on goal. Gutekunst finished the match with eight saves, earning her fifth shutout of the season. Her record for the year is now 5-5-2.
Up Next: The Yellowjackets (7-10-3, 6-5-1 U.M.A.C.) advance to the U.M.A.C. semifinals where they will take on St. Scholastica, the top seed in the post-season. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Saints Field in Duluth.
