SXU Athletics
The Cougar women’s soccer team did not have quite the week they had hoped for with a postponement and a loss to the University of St. Francis (Indiana).
St. Xavier was expecting to play last Wednesday at Cornerstone University, but the weather forecast in Grand Rapids, Michigan, called for severe weather. That contest has been postponed to a later date.
Then the Cougars came back home and continued their schedule with a game against St. Francis. And although the weather gods allowed the game to be played, the soccer gods did not allow for it to be a well-played match on the side of St. Xavier.
Sophomore keeper Alex Perry got the start in net against St. Francis and played well. She allowed just one goal while making four saves in her 45 minutes of play.
Senior keeper Danielle Koncius then took over for the final half of play. Her day was a little longer than Perry’s, as Koncius allowed four goals and made just a pair of saves.
Perry had been beaten on a deep free kick from 65 yards out for the only goal of the first half.
Then, when Koncius came in, St. Xavier’s luck got even worse. St. Francis forward Alysha Johnson struck a ball that appeared would end up wide, but instead it struck the post and deflected into the goal.
From there, things fell apart. St. Francis midfielder Kristen Call scored on her only shot of the game from 15 yards out, then substitute Mackenzie Starcevich scored on another deflection off the post.
Substitute Hannah Elzinga capped St. Francis’ scoring with a goal on a breakaway in the 80th minute. Crystal Hoffman assisted on that goal, the only assisted goal of the five for St. Francis.
The Cougars of St. Xavier tallied their only goal in the 88th minute. Junior forward Lexi Cozzi crossed the ball to sophomore Julia Gawlak, who took a touch and buried from in front of the net.
The Cougars, whose record had fallen to 0-2-2 as of Monday, will face tough road tests against Bethel College tomorrow and the University of St. Francis (Illinois) on Tuesday.
Tim Carroll
Senior Sports Editor