Women’s soccer wins conference, three cross country runners head to Nationals
By Kim Miller, Senior Sports Writer
and Ashley Walls, Sports Editor
This weekend, Asbury’s athletics has had some bittersweet moments as well as victories.
Despite rough spots, up and down performances and transitioning to new coaches, the Eagles are approaching the end of their seasons with remarkably positive notes.
The women’s soccer team broke two school records on Nov. 9. For the first time in Asbury women’s soccer history, the Eagles finished their regular season undefeated in conference play with a 6-0 record, and beat Point Park 2-1 to give them an automatic bid to nationals, the first time a team has gotten an automatic bid by winning the conference championship game in Asbury women’s soccer history. Sophomore Shanda Painter had a big weekend, scoring both goals for the Eagles in the exciting 2-1 win at home and garnering the Player of the Week award for the third time this season. First-year head coach Brooke Lincoln won the Coach of the Year award, while junior Meredith Ury won 2013 KIAC Player of the Year. Sophomore Jenna Bird was the Player of the Year runner-up, and made the All-Conference team along with sophomore Kathryn Hale and senior Victoria Thompson. The Eagles will find out who they play next on Nov. 17, and will be preparing for nationals until then.
The men’s soccer team also had a great run in the conference tournament. After beating Cincinnati Christian University 4-0 in the quarter-finals, the Eagles swept Talladega College in the semi-finals with a 7-2 victory to advance to the conference championship game in Pittsburgh. In the championship game, Asbury gained a 1-0 lead against the Point Park Pioneers. However, Point Park proved to be a tough opponent, and Asbury lost 2-1 after a Pioneers penalty kick. All in all, Asbury was able to compete their way to Alabama, Pittsburgh and the final round of the KIAC tournament, making them second in the Conference.
Although the women’s cross country team did not make it to Nationals as they had hoped, they still placed second at conference and are sending freshman Katy Falkenberg and junior Justine Vonderheide to compete in Kansas in the NAIA meet later this month. The men’s cross country team placed third in conference, and are sending junior Taylor Diehl off to Kansas after he placed fifth in the individual qualifiers.
The women’s volleyball team recently won with their seventeenth straight game after defeating Brescia University 3-0, winning 25-14, 25-13, 25-7. With the win, the team ends their regular season with one of the best seasons the volleyball team has ever had with a 32-7 record overall and 10-1 record in conference play. The lady Eagles will vie for the automatic bid to nationals when they play again on Nov. 15 in the KIAC tournament at Midway College.