Spartans Improve to 8-2 with Win Against Central
Oct 2, 2013 | J.Crane
DUBUQUE, IOWA – The University of Dubuque Women’s Soccer team improved to 8-2-0 on the season with a victory over Central on Wednesday afternoon. The #6 regionally ranked Spartans 4-1 victory on Oyen Field improved their home record to 6-1 on the year. UD held regionally ranked Central (#9) without a shot on goal in the second half. Dubuque is now 1-1-0 in Iowa Conference play.
The Spartans used four second half goals to take control of the game after trailing 1-0 at halftime. Despite a one goal deficit on the scoreboard, UD held a 12-3 lead in shots and 6-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Moving from defender to midfielder for the second half, Kelsey Graefen (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) tied the game at 1-1 in the 61st minute on a header off a corner kick from Melissa Sawyer (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North).
UD would put the game out of reach with two goals in less than a minute to take a 3-1 lead. Alexandra Watkins (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) scored her team high ninth goal of the season at the 73:21 mark. The play began with a long kick by Graefen to the corner where Melanie Prudhomme (Lakemoor, Ill./Wauconda) controlled the ball and passed to a streaking Watkins down the middle of the field for the goal. Prudhomme would score a goal of her own 40 seconds later on a header off a cross from Kim Trinco (Schaumburg, Ill./Conant).
Freshman Alora Esparza (Silvis, Ill./United Township) scored her first collegiate goal late in the game on a high arching shot from outside the box to put UD ahead 4-1. Prudhomme picked up her second assist of the game on the play.
Watkins finished with a team high nine shots and six shots on goal. Graefen put all three of her shots on goal.
Tiffany Duncan (Hartford, Wis./Hartford Union) earned the win in goal.
UD has not lost to Central since 2001, the first year of soccer at UD, accumulating a record of 9-0-3 since that first matchup.
UP NEXT: The Spartans will be looking to win their 50th Iowa Conference game in the programs history on October 5th at Luther College (4-5-0, 2-0-0). Game time is set for 5:00 pm.
LIVE Video and Stats available at: UD Women’s Soccer Video/Stats
