MOUNT PLEASANT – St. Ambrose University showed why it is the Midwest Collegiate Conference regular season champions, controlling play in a 4-0 win over the Iowa Wesleyan College women’s soccer team Saturday afternoon at East Lake Park.
The Queen Bees continued their mastery of the IWC program, improving to a perfect 17-0 against the Tigers all-time, and knocked off Wesleyan on Senior Day for five members of the team. SAU also improved to 15-1-1 overall and finished the conference regular season with a 7-0-1 mark.
The Tigers, meanwhile, were stopped in an attempt to break the school record for wins in a season and finish the regular season 7-9-2 overall, 1-6-1 in the MCC. Wesleyan can do no better than a tie with William Penn University for eighth in the conference standings and will play on the road throughout the upcoming MCC Tournament.
SAU scored twice in both halves, first tallying in the 24th minute when Ashley Dexter converted a penalty kick after a Wesleyan foul in the box. The Bees added a second goal just before halftime when Kari Lyphout scored just 46 seconds before the break. The score stayed at 2-0 for most of the second half before St. Ambrose added a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes.
Cara Arnold (So.-Davis Junction, Ill.) made seven saves in goal for the Tigers, while two goalkeepers combined to make two saves for the visitors. St. Ambrose outshot IWC 16-7, while Britni Walker (Sr.-Loveland, Colo.) and Taylor Scott (So.-Rockton, Ill.) tying for the lead for the Tigers with two shots each.
The match was the final one at home for five seniors, including Walker, Deandra Franzisi (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario), Jennie Mitchell (LaGrange, Ga.), Karly York (Waukee, Iowa) and Georgetta Lewis (St. Johns, Antigua).
IWC next will play in the first round game of the MCC Tournament on Thursday against an opponent to be determined. The winner will advance to a quarterfinal match at top-seeded St. Ambrose next Saturday.
For more information regarding the IWC soccer programs or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
