JOLIET, Ill. – Ashlee Tupper took advantage of a perfectly-placed cross from Evelyn Shaw to push the game-winning goal past the outstretched arms of
Giselle Mata in authoring the final score of the night in Viterbo University's (Wis.) 3-2 victory over the University of St. Francis women's soccer team on Saturday evening. The goal came with just 33 seconds remaining in the second half and proved to be the deciding factor of the semifinal match of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, which ended the Fighting Saints' season at 12-6-2.
First Half
The first half looked to teeter in St. Francis' favor as the Saints fired off 11 of the match's first 13 shots in the first 27 minutes of play. Viterbo would be the first one to strike first, however, with VU's Tupper launching a shot toward the USF goal from 25 yards out that floated over
Krystal Rodriguez's head to put the V-Hawks up 1-0 in the 29th minute. The next 16 minutes saw St. Francis continue its aggressive strategy with the Saints' front line controlling possession and rattling off six more shots, while holding the V-Hawks to just three attempts, but the VU defense held strong allowing the two teams to head into the halftime break with the 1-0 score.
Second Half
The one-score lead lasted for 17 minutes after the break before VU's Kelcie Karweick upped the V-Hawks' lead to 2-0 when a USF foul at the top of the box resulted in a free kick that Karweick sailed over Mata's head. Nonetheless, the Saints continued to apply their aggressive pressure and were able to produce their first goal of the match in the 69th minute.
Carisma Rosales was credited with the score after a similar foul from Viterbo produced a free kick just outside the box. USF produced three more shots over the next five minutes before
Litzy Flores missiled a perfect shot into the upper right corner of the VU net to tie the match at 2-2. After Flores' equalizer in the 75th minute, the Saints authored an offensive onslaught, registering five shots over the next 12 minutes, but it was Viterbo who would reign victorious in the end with the last-minute goal to end the match and the Saints' season.
The Saints overrode the V-Hawks in shot attempts on the day, authoring 31 compared to Viterbo's 12. Rosales and Diez led USF with nine shots apiece, while
Jimena Diaz (2), Flores (1) and
Melani Arredondo (1) - along with Rosales (4) and Diez (3) - all accounted for the team's 11 shots on goal. Rodriguez collected two saves during her 45 minutes in the net, while Mata took credit for three in the closing 45 minutes action.
Rosales finished the season as the Saints sole leader in four offensive categories: goals (12), assists (9), total points (33) and total shots on goal (42). She shared the game-winning goals (3) lead with Flores, while Flores concluded her senior campaign ranking second on the team in assists (7). The Saints finished the season 4-3 in one-goal decisions and ended their campaign with at least 12 wins for just the fifth time in program history.
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