Women head for nationals despite loss

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DALE BRUBACHER
Bethany College wounded the Tabor College women’s soccer team with a shootout win in the KCAC championship match in Hillsboro Friday.



The wound wasn’t fatal, however, as the Bluejays still qualified for the Region IV tournament in Hastings, Neb., Thursday and Friday.



Tabor had the highest ranking of all the teams in the region and therefore earned the at-large spot.



The loss ended a 15-game winning streak for Tabor dating back to Sept. 12.



The Swedes won the shootout 3-1 in the match that ended in a 2-2 tie after regulation and four 15-minute overtime periods.



Tabor pounded the Swede net early in the match but the Bluejay chances went wide or directly at the Bethany goalkeeper. In a rare first-half offensive foray, Bethany connected on a goal to go ahead 1-0.



Kathleen Stagg tied the match in the 68th minute on an assist from Katie Whitcomb. Forty seconds later, however, the Bluejays gave up a free kick that was converted to put Bethany ahead 2-1.



Stagg and Whitcomb again combined to tie the match with 15 minutes remaining.



Bluejay goalkeeper Christy Wehrman saved the first two Bethany shootout tries, but the Swedes connected on their final three.



Sarah Dougherty made the first Tabor penalty kick but the efforts by Stagg, Dolly Regier and Whitcomb were saved by the Bethany keeper.



Finishing goal-scoring chances, both in the shootout and the regular run of play, remains a team concern according to Tabor coach Don Brubacher.



“We played very well early but we didn’t capitalize on many great opportunities,” he said. “When that happens, we tend to lose our intensity, concentration and focus.”



Tabor had 24 shots at goal to Bethany’s 18. Wehrman had nine saves.



The Bluejays drilled Kansas Wesleyan 6-0 in the semifinals of the league tournament in Hillsboro Tuesday, Oct. 31. Chrissy Previtera had two goals and an assist to lead the Tabor offense.



Previtera and Melanie Kurtz combined for the first Tabor goal. Xochitl Clark scored from a Whitcomb assist to put the Bluejays up 2-0. Previtera’s second goal, on a pass from Dougherty, gave Tabor a 3-0 halftime lead.



Dougherty collected an unassisted second-half goal. Whitcomb tallied on a Previtera assist and Stagg ended the scoring on an assist from Kristina Gillen. Tabor poured 25 shots at the Kansas Wesleyan goal while facing only seven shots.



The 15-3 Bluejays will meet host team Hastings on Thursday in the four-team regional tournament.

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