Not since 1993, the program’s first year, had the Marquette women’s soccer team had to fight so far into a season for their first win. Though, after their fifth game against University of Illinois Chicago (1-3), the Golden Eagles (1-3-1) broke the streak to get their first win of the 2024 campaign.
In the 88th minute, after a game full of close calls, senior goalkeeper Lauren Keiser deflected a shot in the 88th minute which bounced into the air. The ball landed in a scrum of legs and sophomore forward Emily Fix was able to get it in net to seal the 1-0 victory.
FINAL | MU – 1 | UIC – 0
Goal! Fix knocks one in from Gibson in the 88′ to win the match! pic.twitter.com/AfUvwkYajK
— MARQUETTE Soccer (@MarquetteWSOC) August 30, 2024
“It’s very little about me,” head coach Chris Allen said. “I think our team earned this. They’ve really been through it and they’re trying to change the trajectory of this program and bring it back to prominence. They just don’t quit. They just come back and get after it.”
More shots than usual for Marquette
Marquette has had an average 6.5 shots per game this season, and in the first 36 minutes of their matchup against UIC, they had six.
Senior forward Kate Gibson, the only other scorer for Marquette so far this season, had two looks within four minutes of each other in the match’s first seven minutes. Both times, she worked the ball up towards the right side of the net, with one shot going right into Keiser’s arms, and the other far left of the net.
In the 36th minute, Valley Fields rose to its feet when senior midfielder Tess O’Connell took a shot just inside the box that bounced off the crossbar and over the goal. First year midfielder Carisma Rosales would do the same when she took her own chip shot in the 46th minute, which bounced off Keiser’s hand and rung the metal once more.
“The entire game, since the first five minutes, we were knocking on the door,” sophomore forward Emily Fix said. “There were a lot of shots and we knew we had all these offensive chances, so it really motivated us for the rest of the match.”
Chloe Olsen shines in goal
Senior goalkeeper Chloe Olson only got 14% of the teams minutes in goal last year and hadn’t started a game yet this season. You wouldn’t have known with her performance during the game though.
Only five minutes into the game, Olson faced her first test when sophomore midfielder Emmy Higgins took control of the ball only a couple feet away from the net. Olson dove and pinched Higgins’ shot against the right post which was cleared seconds later. Olson would get down on the turf four more times on close shots, tallying five saves in total on the night.
“I think she [Olson] was fantastic tonight,” Allen said. “Chloe stepped up and did a great job. When you keep the score zero on the board, you always have an opportunity to win.”
Allen confirmed that Olson will start Sunday’s game too: her second start of the season.
Up Next
To put a bow on the Marquette Challenge Cup, the Golden Eagles will face the Golden Gophers of Minnesota at home Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. CST.
This story was written by Ben Hanson. He can be reached at benjamin.hanson@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @benhansonMU.