Mavericks soccer adds 10th shutout over the weekend

Aaron Young
Staff Writer

Senior Bri Ciaccio headed a perfect ball right off a corner kick for her second goal of the game in the 24th minute during the Mavericks victory against Wayne State. 

Ciaccio was one of the many stars over the weekend for the soccer team.

In the Mavericks first game against Augustana, all goals were scored in the first half.

Sophomore forward Nadia Lowery found the back of the net in the third minute. Lowery would later return the favor in the 15th, with a long pass to sophomore Jenny Vetter, who then buried it in the lower right corner.

Augustana responded with a goal of their own in the 21st minute off a shot from senior Grace Behm and freshman Kelly Kleekamp assisted the play. 

MSU’s defense was on lockdown the whole game, with the Mavericks offense outshooting the Vikings 29-9 and having an 7-6 advantage on corner kicks.

Senior redshirt Alexa Rabune is now 12-1 on the year and had one save the whole game. She was also named the NSIC goalkeeper of the week.  

The next game was a different story, with the girls shutting out Wayne State on the road 4-0. The Mavericks dominated the Cougars in shots (29-5), shots on goal (14-2) and corner kicks (12-1). Wayne State committed more fouls and their goalkeepers had seven more saves than Rabune.

Senior Bri Ciaccio was the star of this game, scoring two of the Mavericks goals, both headers in the 13th and 24th minute. Sophomore Brynn Desens fed Ciaccio the ball both times on corner kicks. 

Freshman Tia Martin scored the team’s third goal and her second on the season.

Redshirt freshman Shelby Lund recorded her first goal of the year in the 89th minute, chipping it past the goalkeeper. This was the last goal of the evening for the Mavericks.

Both Alexa Rabune and freshman Mackenzie Rath played at the goalie position. Rabune recorded no saves and Rath collected two balls in her time on the field.

This was the first game in eight games where Vetter didn’t score or record an assist for the girls, but she did have eight shots and two of them were on goal.

MSU is now at the top of the NSIC standings after Concordia-St. Paul lost to Augustana 3-2. 

The team’s season finale will be against Concordia-St. Paul on Friday.

Header photo: Minnesota State forward Jenny Vetter (4) shoots the ball at the goal against Augustana University at the Pitch Friday, Nov. 1, 2019 in Mankato, Minn. (Kjerstin Hall/MSU Reporter)