Women's soccer takes the pitch for first victory

The PUC women’s soccer team notched the first win of their inaugural season, rising to 1-4 so far this year.

Like almost every program in its first year, the team has shown its inexperience in competition.  The team dropped their first two games, allowing six goals in each and getting shut out in the second game.

However, the team has not been letting losses get them down and is ever-focused on building a strong future.

“We’re still learning each other,” Head Coach Leslie Ferguson said.  “We’re starting to get better.  You got to stay positive.”

The team held its first official home match on Aug. 30 against Davenport.  It was a home-away-from-home contest, as the game was held at Munster High School (the team will have no set home field during this season).  Still, the match drew a decent number of PUC faithfuls.

Davenport scored first in the 25th minute, then scored again 11 seconds later.  PUC measured up well to their opponents, however, and kept pace with them on defense in the first half.

The second half saw Davenport score 4 goals to pull away.  Like in the first half, two goals were scored in less than a minute on two occasions.

Despite the loss, PUC played Davenport closer than a 6-0 final suggested.  Several shots that could have scored sailed just wide or over the goal, while one seemingly-clear shot opportunity was denied at the last second by a goaltender-induced trip.  Just inches could have eluded the shutout and maybe turned the game around.

“It might have sparked something,” Ferguson said.

Goals or no goals, the team still saw things they liked on the pitch.

“We were able to hold them [in the first half],” forward Maxine Rossler said.  “We just got to learn to do it for a whole game.  We got some good possessions, too.”

The team played in the Crimson Wave Tournament in Schererville over the weekend against Mt. Mercy College on Sept. 1. 

The match was tied 1-1 at halftime, but Mercy scored three in the second half to win.

PUC then played Calumet College of Saint Joseph the next day.  Down 2-1 at the half, the team rallied behind goals from forward Kirsten Nirtaut (her second of the game) to tie it and Rossler to go ahead.  The team got its first taste of victory by a score of 3-2.

The team takes the pitch again at Winona Lake, taking on Grace on Sept. 7.