Bluejay soccer women split, men still looking for win

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TOM STOPPEL
The Tabor men’s soccer team earned a tie last week but are still looking for their first win of the season. The Tabor women split a pair of matches.

Tabor men

Manhattan Christian-The Bluejays dropped a 2-1 match in overtime to Manhattan Christian College.

“It was pretty disappointing,” coach Lincoln Wulf said. “Once again we tended to dominate possession and controlled the pace of the game, but we just don’t have the necessary ability to put the ball in the back of the net.”

Andy Unger was credited with the lone Bluejay goal, with the assist going to Kenton Schroeder.

“We played a lot better than we have been playing,” Wulf said. “We matched up with them talent-wise.

“They were content to sit back and take their chances on the break,” he added. “They got their first goal on a free kick that we just didn’t defend well, and their overtime goal came right off the kickoff.”

Bethel-The Bluejays got back into KCAC action Wednesday, and settled for a 1-1 tie against the Threshers.

“It was a big game for us,” Wulf said. “We started out strong and took it to them the whole game.

“Once again, we probably controlled the ball 75 percent of the game and we outshot Bethel 24-3, but their keeper just made some nice saves and our shots weren’t the quality they needed to be.”

After a scoreless first half, Tabor broke the scoring ice when Ryan Kelly scored an unassisted goal for the Bluejays.

“It was a nice goal,” Wulf said. “He pretty much brought the ball up from our half.”

With 15 minutes remaining in the game, the Threshers caught the Bluejays on the break and knotted the score 1-1.

“It’s frustrating for us because we have the strength to control the ball, but we don’t have the necessary skills to score any more than we do,” Wulf said. “We showed a lot of heart and spirit, but when the people you look to to do the job don’t get the job done, it’s very frustrating.”

Neither team was able to score through two overtime periods, and the game ended deadlocked.

With the tie, the Bluejays conference record went to 0-2-1, and dipped to 0-9-1 overall.

“St. Mary and Friends are the only two schools with winning records in conference play,” Wulf said. “It’s going to be a race for the other four positions in the KCAC tournament.”

The top six teams participate in the post-season conference tournament.

William Jewell-Tabor dropped a home match on Saturday by a 5-0 score.

William Jewell came to Hillsboro sporting a 7-2 record with a victory over 10th-rated Baker University on their resume.

No further information about the match was available.

Tabor was in Leavenworth Monday to battle the University of Saint Mary. Results will be available in next week’s Free Press.

Tabor women

Bethel-The Bluejays made it two in a row last week when they defeated KCAC foe Bethel, 4-0.

Goals were scored by Michelle Rink, Kathleen Stagg and two by Kandi Holland. Stagg also recorded two assists.

“The women came out more intense in their last two games,” assistant coach Mike Zollinger said. “But having said that, the game last Monday didn’t give us a true test of where we’re at because Manhattan Christian College (a 9-0 Tabor win) really wasn’t that talented,” assistant coach Mike Zollinger said.

“Against Bethel, we came out and played well and played hard. We’re still working on little things.

Bethel was a true test.

“Bethany and Friends were good teams, too, but we didn’t come out to play as a team in those contests.”

Zollinger said several women have stepped up recently.

“Michelle Rink is playing defense right now, but she’s making a lot of forward runs and she gets a lot of offensive opportunities from that,” Zollinger said. “Michelle, Kathleen Stagg and Kandi Holland are all playing much better.”

With the win, Tabor improves to 2-8 overall and 1-2 in the KCAC.

William Jewell-The Bluejays had their modest two-game winning streak snapped Saturday in Hillsboro by the lopsided score of 11-1.

Details of the game will appear in next week’s Free Press.

KCAC-Rink is seventh in scoring with 0.55 goals per game. Stagg is fifth in assists with 0.45 assists per game, while Porsche Davis is ninth at 0.27 assists.

Through 11 games, goalie Kari Shorb is fourth in saves with 13.63 per game, and leads the conference in total saves with 150.

Tabor was in Leavenworth Monday to battle the University of Saint Mary.

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