Webster University women’s soccer team is heading to its second straight St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Championship match. The Gorloks defeated the Fontbonne University Griffins 2-0 on Thursday, November 7. The team’s win marks the second time in two days a Gorlok soccer team defeated the Griffins to advance to the SLIAC Championship.
Eighteen minutes into the match junior forward Kristin Montgomery volleyed a pass over two Griffin defenders. The ball took one bounce and fell to senior forward Jordan Fosburgh, who headed in her first goal of the SLIAC playoffs to give the Gorloks a 1-0 lead.
“I kind of just saw it coming across and thought maybe I could get there before the goalie did,” Fosburgh said.
With 26 minutes remaining in the match, senior forward Ally Nikolaus lobbed a pass to Kristin Montgomery and broke away from two Griffin defenders. Montgomery fired a shot past Fontbonne goalkeeper Meggin Wenner to give the Gorloks a two-goal lead. Nikolaus finished the match with two points.
“I just saw the opportunity (to lob a pass over) and (Montgomery) luckily finished it,” Nikolaus said.
The Gorloks allowed three goals in SLIAC competition this season. Nikolaus said their success comes from the number of returning players this season.
“Last year, it started with our defense,” Nikolaus said. “This year we incorporated our forwards more, and they realized (the) defense is doing a good job, and we (forwards) need to step it up. We both play well off (of) each other.”
Head Women’s Soccer Coach Luigi Scire said as long as the team continues to play well defensively, they will be successful.
“It’s all predicated on defense first,” Scire said. “From that point on (it’s) transitioning to offense. And then once we’re on offense, I think we do a very good job of finishing.”
The women’s soccer team will host the SLIAC Championship match against the Principia College Panthers (Ill.) at 12 p.m. on Nov. 9 at Soccer Park. The Gorloks defeated the Panthers 4-1 earlier this season in regular season competition.
“We are ready to prove that we are the best in the conference,” Scire said. “They’re looking forward to Saturday and to prove to everyone that we are the defending conference champions.”
The winner of the SLIAC Championship receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III women’s soccer tournament. The last time Webster and Principia faced off in the SLIAC Championship was in 2009. Webster won the match in penalty kicks, 5-4. Fosburgh said beating Principia last season was one of her favorite memories of her collegiate soccer career.
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