NEW ULM, Minn. – Those in attendance at MLC Soccer Field Wednesday certainly got their money's worth for the afternoon's Women's Soccer contest between the University of Northwestern and Martin Luther College. Not only were they treated to an entertaining match in which the visiting Eagles emerged victorious, but they also were able to witness history. Northwestern's
Megan Moeller (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Christian School) and
Haley Mersberger (Kiel, Wisc./Elkhart Lake Glenbeulah) each scored the 50
th goal of their respective careers in the 5-4 win.
Mya Chan (Brandon, S.D./Homeschool) continued her excellent play with a quick goal in the fourth minute, striking from way downtown off a feed from Moeller. Northwestern had several near makes over the next several minutes (it out-shot the Knights 26-10 and 15-5 on goal in the first frame), constantly staying on the attack. Despite this, Martin Luther was able to even the score at one apiece in the 12
th minute.
That's when Moeller decided to take matters into her own hands. The senior took a pass from Mersberger in the 21
st minute and found the back of the net for goal number 49 of her illustrious career. In the 29th, Moeller was in the right place at the right time, taking a deflection and hammering it home for her 50
th career goal. With that score, she became just the third player in the history of UNW Women's Soccer to eclipse that mark.
After a Martin Luther goal in the 65
th minute,
Haley Mersberger (Kiel, Wisc./Elkhart Lake Glenbeulah) decided to join the 50-goal club herself in the 70
th minute after the ball bounced off the MLC goalkeeper's knee and right into the sophomore's lap. The four-woman club is now made up of two sets of teammates, as Mersberger and Moeller join Kyrie Jorgenson and Rebekah Kirby, who scored 61 career goals each and were teammates from 2008-2010.
The Knights chipped into the lead via a UNW own goal in the 82
nd, but the Eagles got it right back when
Megan Kohrt (Monona, Wis./Homeschool) took the kick off tap and launched it deep into MLC territory. Mersberger was able to wrestle it away from the Knights defenders and finish with her left foot to extend Northwestern's lead to 5-3. Martin Luther would score again in the 87
th to provide a scare, but ran out of time as the game ended in a 5-4 final.
Mersberger once again put up video numbers, logging 16 shots and nine shots on goal. The 16 shots were the second most of her career. Moeller was no slouch herself, shooting nine times and six times on goal, while Kohrt was an efficient six for six. Chan ended with five shots, three of which were on goal, while
Meghan Corbett (Sartell, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral) and
Briella Babcock (Byron, Minn./Byron) each added a shot on goal of their own. Defensively,
Samantha Hansen (Cottage Grove, Minn./New Life Academy) finished with six saves in net.
The win extends Northwestern's winning streak to five games and keeps UNW in the driver's seat to host a UMAC Semifinal game with a 10-2-1 conference record. The Eagles will close out the regular season Saturday with a trip to Northland College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 PM at Ponzio Stadium.
