Trojans move on to ACAC semifinal
EDMONTON, ALTA., (Oct. 25, 2019) — The SAIT Trojans women's soccer team passed their first test.
The Trojans received a penalty kick goal from Skye Gordon in the 66th minute, and then relied on keeper Stine Thorne to shut the door the rest of the way, as they beat the King's University Eagles 2-1 in their Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women's Soccer Championship quarter-final matchup Friday morning.
"We're here for the weekend," said an excited Trojans head coach John Talerico. "The team is happy we won, but now we have to focus on tomorrow. It will be a much harder task, but we're going to take it minute by minute."
SAIT will now move on to the event's semifinals at 11am on Saturday, where they will meet North Division powerhouse NAIT. The host Ooks finished the regular season with an impressive 11-1 record, and will have home field advantage.
SAIT and NAIT met in last year's championship final, with the Ooks winning 2-1 in overtime.
"There will be no greater challenge than the one we face tomorrow," stated Talerico. "We just have to approach it the same way we did with King's, and that's just to play and keep playing. . . This team just gets closer and closer with each passing day, and I have enjoyed watching it. Saturday will be fun."
In Friday's matchup, the game started slow for both teams. It wasn't until a scramble in the box placed the ball at the foot of Kenzie Georgsen (1st year, Chestermere, Alta., Architectural Technologies) that the score changed.
She weaved through a few defenders before lobbing a ball over the outstretched reach of King's keeper Isabelle King.
"After a bit of a chess match to start the game, seeing that finish by Kenzie was a big relief," Talerico added. "Our team felt it, and our bench felt it."
The Eagles tied the game in the 59th minute when a cross from beside the net went off a body and past Thorne (1st year, Calgary, Nutrition for Healthy Lifestyles). Kayleigh Greidanus ultimately was given credit for the marker.
The Trojans regained the lead after the Eagles were called for a penalty inside the box. Gordon (3rd year, Langley, BC, Bachelor of Business Administration) made good on the ensuing penalty kick to put her team back up.
After that, it was all Thorne.
King's charged and charged, firing shots on net, but the rookie keeper was able to keep the ball out. Her best save came late in the match when a shot from just inside the box looked to be sailing into the top of the net. However, Thorne leaped and got just enough of the ball to re-direct it over the bar.
The Eagles had a few more chances following that play, but none of them dangerous, as the Trojans ran out the clock.
"It was great to see because our team was able to witness how calm she is back there, and that takes some of the pressure off of them," Talerico explained. "They weren't afraid to make mistakes late because they knew Stine was going to bail them out if they did. That builds confidence."