200! Women’s Soccer Coach Berna Hits Milestone on Road
Oct 8, 2014
NAPERVILLE, Ill – The University of Dubuque women’s soccer coach, Jason Berna, started the UD men’s and women’s program in 2001 and on Tuesday night earned his 200th combined victory after defeating North Central, 1-0.
It was Coach Berna’s 148th win as the women’s head coach in addition to his 52 wins as men’s head coach from 2001-2008. It is the seventh season the UD women have earned at least 11 wins. The Spartans’ success has stemmed from Coach Berna’s 52 All-Academic Iowa Conference and 22 First-Team All-Iowa Conference selections while he’s been at the helm.
One of those selections, Megan Siepler, was the key component after she netted the only score of the game off a Kyleigh McLaughlin assist in the 22nd minute. It was her team-high eighth goal of the season. That leaves her with the second-most goals in the IIAC this year.
The Spartan offensive kept the pressure on from start to finish after outshooting North Central (4-3-2, 1-0 CCIW), 16-5. UD (11-3, 3-0 IIAC) shot eight times each half and racked up seven shots on goal.
Siepler, McLaughlin, and Liz Frazier all totaled two shots on goal while Tiffany Duncan had two saves on the defensive end.
The Spartans have won four-straight games and have outscored opponents, 11-4, in that time.
It also was the fourth-straight one-goal victory over North Central in the series. The Spartans have never lost to the Cardinals and are 5-0-1 overall.
“It’s an amazing feeling helping Coach Berna get his 200th win. Before the game started, we made it a point that we were gonna win for him,” said senior defender Kelsey Graefen on win number 200. “As a team we played well tonight, there were little things we could have cleaned up here and there, but it’s a great feeling coming out with this win especially.
The four-time IIAC women’s soccer Coach of the Year and his crew will oppose Central College (5-4-3, 1-1-1 IIAC) on the road, Saturday, October 11th at 1:00 p.m.
