Gustavus Adolphus College

LINCOLN, Neb. - After a late winner on Tuesday set the Gusties back and dished them a loss, the women's soccer team got back on track with a comprehensive, 2-1 win over Illinois College. Amara Easley led the team offensively, scoring two goals off calm finishes. 

Easley's two goals gave the Gusties the most dangerous lead in soccer but the only shot of the half for Illinois College was the one which found the back of the net and Gustavus was able to hold off the Lady Blues. 13 shots taken by the Gusties were able to reach net of their 27 total, which overpowered the Illinois College team's 7 shots and only three of those reached senior Katelyn Olson (Cloquet, Minn.). 

The pressure from the Gusties came from the first minute, when junior Lauren Coy (Mahtomedi, Minn.) missed right but it would illustrate what was to come during the match. Coy found the first shot on goal as well, forcing a save in the 6th minute. Junior midfielder Kate Hamski (Blaine, Minn.) found classmate Amara Easley (Champlin, Minn.) with her back to goal in the 9th minute where she was able to turn onto her right foot and calmly place the ball in the bottom left corner. 

After the goal, the Gusties hit the frame six more times to force saves by Gonzalez, the Lady Blue goalkeeper, but only Easley's shot would result in a notch on the scoreboard through the first 45 minutes.

The first statistical action of the second half was a great one for the Gusties, Easley's second goal. After a pass by fellow junior Meghan Colebeck (South St. Paul, Minn.) and Easley with her back to goal again, she was able to cut across the face of a Lady Blue centerback and give herself a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, where Easley found the lucky bottom left corner once again. In the 64th minute, Illinois College found their sole goal, using a left footed shot to just curve around the outstretched hands of Olson to cut the Gustie lead in half. Gustavus had three more shots that required saves, but none of those shots would end up being needed for a favorable result, with the Gusties taking their first win of the season, 2-1. 

Individually, Easley, Hamski, Colebeck, and sophomore Armana Ransanici (Hudson, Wis.) all had three shots on goal to pace the Gusties in 43, 73, 34, and 34 minutes of play, respectively. Olson made two saves in the win and was the only player to play all 90 minutes in the win. Gustavus led shots on goal 13-3 and only committed six fouls in the win. 

The team will turn around quickly and play again tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m., taking on hosts Nebraska Wesleyan. 
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